The
Shuiskaya Hodigitria Icon of the Mother of God appeared in the town of Shui, in
the Vladimir Diocese, during the height of the plague epidemic of 1654-1655. In
this time of misfortune, the town populace would hurry to pray, would gather in
churches to ask the Lord that he be merciful. A certain pious parishioner of the
Resurrection Church recommended to his fellow-citizens that they collect the
funds needed to order a copy of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, and
install it in the church. That was accomplished. The Icon was written over
the course of seven days, during which the residents of Shui fasted and offered
fervent prayers to the Mother of God. After partaking of the Holy Gifts,
they, with their priest at the head of the procession, brought the newly
written icon into the church; with that, the plague ceased. In 1831, through the
intercession of the Theotokos, an epidemic of cholera in Shui also came to a
close. The possessed youth Jacob and many other sick people received healing
from that Holy Icon.