The seven-shooter icon of the Mother of God is an expression of the fullness of the Mother of God sorrow over the suffering of Jesus Christ. In Orthodoxy there is an icon that is considered equivalent to the Seven-shot, but has a different image of the Heavenly Queen.
The seven-shot icon of the Mother of God is one of the most revered in Orthodoxy. It is believed that she is more than five hundred years old and the original image has not been preserved to this day. The most famous lists of this icon exist, one of which is considered to be completely identical to the original. It is painted on a piece of canvas pasted on a wooden board, and was made in the 18th century. In pre-revolutionary Russia, this list was in the St. John the Theological Church, located near Vologda.
What does the icon of the Mother of God “Seven-shot” symbolize?
For the Orthodox Christian, she is an expression of the deepest suffering of the Virgin, which she experienced during the torment and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The fullness of her grief is reflected in the 7 arrows (or swords) that pierced the Mother of God’s chest: 3 on the right side and 4 on the left. It is noteworthy that on the "Seven-shot" icon the Virgin Mary is depicted without the usual surroundings: angels and saints, which emphasizes the depth of her sadness and loneliness in her suffering.
Orthodox priests recommend praying in front of her during difficult periods of life and in the event that it is difficult to cope with the negative feelings that have settled in the soul: envy, anger, bitter resentment, thirst for revenge. The arrows piercing the breast of the Mother of God symbolize the seven main passions that can be present in a person. All their Mother of God reads easily in the heart of everyone who turned to her for help.
