Silver Orthodox cross with gilding "Lord Pantocrator. Icon of the Mother of God "Seven Arrows" 132386 Onyx

Silver Orthodox cross with gilding "Lord Almighty. Icon of the Mother of God "Seven Arrows"

Metal: silver 925"
Average weight: 7.4 g
Height with eyelet: 4.2 cm
Height without eyelet: 2.9 cm
Width: 2.2 cm
Ear dimensions: 0.8 x 0.6 cm

The pectoral cross of strict monumental forms with rays diverging from the middle cross in its forms goes back to the Cross of Constantine. The Byzantine Emperor Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Constantine the Great, before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312), which was to decide the fate of the Roman Empire, saw a cross in the sun and next to it the inscription: “With it conquer” (in Greek En Toyt? Nika). St. Constantine ordered a cross to be placed on the flags of his army and won the battle. Having won power, he stopped the persecution of Christians and made Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire. Since then, the teachings of Christ began to spread freely throughout the world, and the image of the Cross of Constantine became as revered as the image of the cross on which the Savior was crucified.

The full image of Golgotha ​​is inscribed here in the shape of the Cross of Constantine. Next to the crucified Lord on both sides stand Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, his faithful follower and student; Mother of the Savior, Most Holy Theotokos; His beloved disciple, John the Theologian. Together with John the Theologian stands one of the soldiers who crucified Christ - the centurion Longinus.  According to legend, it was Longinus who pierced the ribs of Christ with a spear, and then, frightened by the eclipse and earthquake that followed, he believed that Christ was the Son of God. He became a preacher of Christianity, for which he was killed by the Jews. The Orthodox Church honors the centurion Longinus as a martyr.

When the Body of Christ crucified on the cross was pierced with nails and a spear, the soul of His Most Pure Mother was struck by the “weapon” of sadness and heartache. According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, the Lord was crucified not only for the past sins of people. Every day Jesus Christ is again mystically crucified at the Liturgy for new sins of those living today. The image of the suffering of the Mother of God, past and present, on Her “Seven Arrow” icons is symbolically depicted in the form of seven arrows. The Most Holy Theotokos is pierced with seven arrows, according to the number of the seven deadly sins of man. The image of the Mother of God “Seven Arrows” is placed on the back of the cross, surrounded by worshiping angels: two seraphim and archangels Gabriel and Michael.

The Most Holy Theotokos in Her miraculous icon “Seven Arrows” is revered as a pacifier of hostile feelings, a protector from evil intent. Mothers pray to this icon to protect their children from evil people and evil spirits, men pray to protect their family from enemies. They turn to her with prayer to stop internecine warfare, as well as to defeat evil thoughts and unkind feelings in their own hearts. If you pray in front of the image for your enemies, then hostile feelings will give way to mercy, and the hatred that corrodes the soul will subside.