The Three of Swords and the Immaculate Heart

Waite, influenced by the Sola Busca, illustrated his Three of Swords with a heart being pierced by three swords.

Sola Busca (late 15th century), Rider-Waite (1909)

The Gospel of Luke records a man named Simeon saying to Mary, shortly after the birth of Jesus, "Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed" (Luke 2:35). It is for this reason that the Immaculate Heart of Mary is often portrayed with a sword through it.

Sometimes, though, the Immaculate Heart is shown with seven swords through it, representing the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

These Seven Sorrows are:

1. the prophecy of Simeon already mentioned
2. the flight into Egypt
3. the loss of the child Jesus at the Temple
4. meeting Jesus on the road to Calvary
5. the Crucifixion
6. Jesus' body being taken down from the cross
7. the burial of Jesus

The number seven is obviously somewhat contrived here -- four of the Sorrows are basically part of the same event, the Crucifixion, and their number could easily be arbitrarily increased or decreased (cf. the 14 Stations of the Cross). Nevertheless, it has become traditional, and our interpretation of the Tarot card should respect that.

Note that Simeon's prophecy of a sword piercing Mary's soul is taken as a reference to these Seven Sorrows -- but that one of those sorrows is that prophecy itself! Thus, Simeon prophesied six sorrows, and that prophecy of six sorrows is itself the seventh (or first) sorrow. Likewise, the Three of Swords shows a heart with six wounds (for each sword makes an entry and an exit wound), and the whole image itself represents the remaining sorrow, the prophecy of Simeon.