Virgin Mary with the Seven Swords

The icon of the Virgin Mary with the Seven Swords, four on the left and three on the right, is related to the prophecy of Saint Simeon the Theodotus, which is recorded by the Evangelist Luke: "...and a sword shall pierce her soul..." (Luke 1:10). The specific words refer to the pain that the Virgin Mary would experience at the moment of separation from her beloved Son, when He was crucified before her eyes.