Virgin Mary with the Seven Swords

The Icon of the Virgin Mary of the Seven Swords

The icon of the Virgin Mary of the Seven Swords, depicting four swords on her left and three on her right, is associated with the prophecy of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver, as recorded by the Evangelist Luke:

“…and a sword will pierce your own soul too…” (Luke 2:35).

These words refer to the profound sorrow that the Virgin Mary would experience at the moment of separation from her beloved Son, when she witnessed His Crucifixion before her very eyes.

This icon was originally located in the bell tower of a church near the Toshna River. However, for reasons unknown, the icon had been placed face down and was being used as an ordinary wooden plank.

God, however, did not allow this situation to continue indefinitely, and the following event took place.

A local resident named Kandikov, who suffered from numerous illnesses, had a dream in which he was instructed to search for an icon in the church's bell tower and pray before it in order to be healed.

He went to the church, but the people there paid little attention to his request. Nevertheless, the man did not give up and continued visiting the church. Finally, on his third visit, he was allowed to search the bell tower.

Kandikov discovered the icon, cleaned it, venerated it, and was miraculously healed of his illnesses.

The icon went on to perform many other miracles.

In 1830, a cholera epidemic broke out in the city of Vologda. A religious procession was then held with the icon of the Virgin Mary of the Seven Swords, and, according to tradition, the epidemic miraculously came to an end.

Beyond the miracles attributed to it, the icon of the Virgin Mary is also said to have shed tears during particularly difficult and tragic moments for humanity.

This reportedly occurred on August 12, 2000, during the tragedy of the Russian submarine Kursk, and again on September 11, 2001, when the Twin Towers collapsed in New York.

The icon is also known by the names “The Prophecy of Righteous Simeon” and “The Softening of Evil Hearts.”