The miraculous icon of the Mother of God «Softening evil hearts» is located in the Church of St. John the Theologian-Seven Arrows, in the churchyard, not far from the city of Vologda. The icon depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary pierced by seven arrows (from which the icon received another name, — Seven Arrow).
The icon reflects the gospel story of how on the fortieth day after the Nativity of Christ, the righteous Joseph and the Blessed Virgin Mary brought the Infant of God to the temple to perform rituals over him according to the law of Moses. They were met in the temple by the holy elder Simeon, who announced to those present that this Child is the promised Messiah. Addressing the Mother of God, the righteous Simeon said: «Behold, this lies on the fall and on the rebellion of many in Israel and on the subject of disputes, and for You the weapon itself will pass the soul».
Symbolically, the grief of the Mother of God is depicted on the icon with seven arrows piercing her heart. For a long time, the holy image was located at the turn of the stairs of the bell tower of the Church of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian, near Vologda. The icon, face down, was mistaken for an ordinary board on which bell ringers of this church usually walked.
The icon became especially famous in 1830 during cholera that raged in Vologda. This calamity brought fear to 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 religious procession, after which the diseases began to noticeably subside, and soon the epidemic completely stopped.
The celebration of the Seven-Arrow Icon of the Mother of God or «Softening of Evil Hearts» takes place on August 26 and All Saints' Week (celebrated on the first Pentecostal Week —, a moving holiday).