The miraculous icon of the Mother of God « Softening of Evil Hearts » is located in the Church of St. John the Theologian-Seven, on a weather near the city of Vologda. The icon depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary, pierced by seven arrows ( from which the icon received its other name — Seven-shot ).
The icon reflects the gospel narrative of how, on the fortieth day of Christ, the righteous Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary brought the God-bearing to the temple to perform rites over him according to the law of Moses. They were met in the temple by St. Simeon, who announced to those present that this Baby is the promised Messiah. Turning to the Mother of God, the righteous Simeon said: « Behold, this one lies in the fall and uprising of many in Israel and in the subject of bickering, and the soul will pass your weapon to you ».
Symbolically, the grief of Our Lady is depicted on the icon by seven arrows piercing her heart. For a long time, the holy image was on the turn of the stairs of the bell tower of the church of St. John the Evangelist, near Vologda. The icon facing the face down was taken as an ordinary board, on which the ringworms of this church usually walked.
The icon became especially famous in 1830 during the cholera raging in Vologda. This disaster brought fear on the inhabitants and prompted them to seek help from the Blessed Virgin Mary. The miraculous icon « Softening Evil Hearts » was surrounded around the city with a procession, after which the diseases began to subside noticeably, and soon the epidemic completely stopped.
Celebrating the icon of the Mother of God of the Seven-Restral or « Softening Evil Hearts » takes place on August 26 and in the All Saints Week ( will be celebrated in the first Pentecost Week — passing holiday ).