Icon of the Mother of God of Shui

The Holy Hodēgḗtria Icon of the Mother of God, named the Shui, appeared in the city of Shui of Vladimir diocese at the very height of a raging deadly epidemic in the years 1654-1655. The inhabitants of the city combatted this misfortune by prayer, and gathered together in the churches, beseeching mercy of the Lord. A certain pious parishioner of the Resurrection church discussed with his compatriots to gather together the means and to commission a copy of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God and place it in the temple, which was done.

The icon was painted in seven days, during which time the inhabitants of Shui fasted and made fervent prayer to the Mother of God. Having communed the Holy Mysteries, they with a priest at the head carried the newly painted icon into the church. And from that time the deadly pestilence ceased. In 1831 by the intercession of the Mother of God a cholera epidemic at Shui ceased. From this holy icon the lad James received healing from demonic possession, and also many of the sick.