"LIBERATE THIS ISLAND TO ME!”

This happened in the 16th century. A rich merchant lived on the banks of the Olonka River. In those years, the plague was raging there.
The merchant had a dream. A woman was sitting on a stone and crying.
“Free this island for Me,” She asked, “and I will save your city...”
It was the Most Holy Theotokos herself, but the merchant decided to set a condition for Her:
“If in the morning I see a squirrel on every tree, then so be it, I’ll leave here.” "
In the morning, the merchant saw that not only on every tree, but on every branch there were squirrels sitting. The merchant left the island, and the pestilence stopped in Olonets.
After some time, the Most Holy Theotokos again showed that She had chosen these regions.
One day the townspeople saw a bright light on the river... It was the image of the Smolensk Mother of God. A cathedral was built for this miraculous image. This image was named Olonetsky.
After the revolution, the cathedral became a museum.
The temple was returned to believers in March 1992.