In the tradition of Orthodoxy, there are so many different iconic images of the Virgin.Most of them are little known, being purely a local shrine.However, there are examples of marked churchwide veneration.Among them stands out the image of their uniqueness, called Semistrelnaya.On this icon, as well as the prayers which ascend to it, will be discussed in this article.
value image
Semistrelnaya icon of the Mother of God has another name - "Softener of Evil Hearts."Less Simeonov also called prophetically.At its core, this icon is an illustration of an event of the holiday of Candlemas, that is the Lord's holiday Date, as described in the Gospel.When Jesus Christ was really a baby, his mother, the Virgin Mary has brought its first temple in Jerusalem.There they met a righteous man named Simeon.According to legend, this person was one of the translators of the Holy Scriptures into Greek, which was the place to be in Egypt for three hundred years before the birth of the Savior.When Simeon was translating the book of the prophet Isaiah, he wondered whether it was true it says that a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son.After some hesitation, he decided that it was a mistake and wrote in the translation of the word "woman".At that moment appeared to him an angel who told him that the original prophecy of the virgin conception is true, but in order to dispel his doubts, he will be given the opportunity to see this beautiful baby.And Simeon hundred years waiting for this meeting (Meeting - Slavonic) at the temple.Finally, wait.When Mary gave him a baby in her arms, it came down the spirit of prophecy, and he prophesied about the newborn Jesus, seeing that his mother's "weapon pierce the soul."This kind of weapon, that is, the suffering of the Mother of God, symbolically represented by the icon "Seven Arrows" in the form of the seven swords piercing her heart.Seven Swords is shown, as in the biblical tradition this number means the fullness and completeness.
This legend, no doubt apocryphal in relation to the original Christian tradition.But this does not detract from its moral values that gave birth to a second, more practical interpretation.Since Mary is venerated in the Orthodox Church as the queen of heaven, and the spiritual mother of all Christians, it is a weapon that pierces it, it is not only the pangs of grief, made by Jesus Christ on the cross, but also the sins of mankind, for which he underwent crucifixion.Seven Swords in this context means the seven deadly sins, which pierces a loving and grieving heart of Our Lady.
Origin of image
Where did this icon, nobody knows.According to a pious legend, a farmer discovered it from Vologda, who was seriously ill limp and partial paralysis.No doctors could not cure him.Once in a dream he was instructed to climb the bell tower of the local church St. John the Evangelist and grab icon.Of course, the clergy of the Cathedral did not take seriously the revelation, and the old man twice denied the request, knowing that there are no icons there.But the farmer was persistent, and eventually he was allowed to climb the bell tower to make the most of the futility of his own words.However, he hardly went upstairs, recognized icon in one of the boards, which served as a step on the stairs.The image immediately went down and cleaned chanted prayers.Then he was pronounced the first prayer of the Virgin Mary Semistrelnaya, as a result of which a farmer was completely healed.Since then, the icon were miracles.This, in turn, led to the spread of the glory of the miraculous image.Since it began to make lists, which are now a huge number of several species.The original image after the repression of the 1930s, unfortunately disappeared, he still has not found.
What pray before the image of Our Lady Semistrelnaya
As before any icon, the Mother of God Prayer Semistrelnaya can be devoted to any occasion.However, the specifics of the image formed a special sphere of needs, which are mainly in turning to Mary before this icon.The first is a request for the world, and about overcoming anger, hatred and revenge on the part of anyone.Actually, that is why it was called "Softener of Evil Hearts."Offended people, chiefs of severe, strict parents and teachers - in all these cases can be reversed prayer Semistrelnaya icon.How to pray the Virgin, does not matter.Below are examples of prayers, but in general, you can refer to Mary's own words, as long as they were genuine.The importance is not the beauty of prayer and hot believing heart.If this condition is met, it will no doubt heard the prayer icon Semistrelnaya.When praying as much - it does not matter.
Text prayer before the icon Semistrelnaya
For example, we still give some conventional texts that read in churches on public worship and religious people in their homes.The main prayer of the Mother of God Semistrelnaya in Russian translation sounds like this:
"Oh, much affected the Mother of God, surpassing all the daughters of the land clean of their own and their suffering, that you're on the ground suffered! Take mournful our prayers and keep us protectedyour mercy. Because we have no other shelter, and so hot protector like you - do not know. You have confidence in prayer is born to you, So help and save us with their prayers, that we freely reach the kingdom of heaven, and there is with all the saints sing singleTrinity - God, now and ever and ever and ever. Amen! "
Such common prayer of Our Lady of Seven Arrows.Vsetsaritsa Christian faith there represented defender, which it is, according to the ideas of Orthodox Christians.There is also a brief prayer dedicated to this image.They have a special liturgical and called troparion also.
Troparion, Tone 5
Soothe evil our hearts, Mother of God, and hate attacks to destroy us, and our soul from the embarrassment deliver, to your holy image looked down.Your compassion and mercy to us, we lead to tenderness and kiss your wound, as our arrows, battering you feared.Do not give us that good mother to die in our hardness of the cruelty of neighbors, since you truly evil hearts softening.
Kontakion, Tone 2
Thy grace, mistress, softening the hearts of evil, send down benefactors, protecting them from all evil, the good you praying diligently to thy holy icons.
Kontakion, troparion and the official prayer of the Mother of God Semistrelnaya display its basic idea - to overcome the evil in our hearts.However, this icon is also a symbol of the sorrow of the heart, so any suffering of the soul can be poured out in front of this image.For example, it may be a request for assistance in ordering a happy personal life.
Prayer Semistrelnaya icon of Our Lady of Solitude
On-mistress Madame Mother of God, pour out thy great mercy on me, giving me the strength to get rid of the heavy burden of loneliness of the soul.Deliver me from every evil curse against unclean spirits, evil, induced my life.Amen!
