In ancient times, a group of robbers planned to attack the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos. Suddenly, the abbot heard a voice coming from an icon, warning: "Do not open the monastery gates today, but go up to the walls and drive away the robbers." Turning to the icon, he noticed that the image had changed: the God-Child was trying to close the mouth of the Mother of God, saying: "Do not tell them, My Mother, let them receive their deserved punishment." However, the Mother of God, trying to hold back her Son's hand and leaning to the right, repeated the warning. Thus, the images of the merciful Mother of God and the stern Christ were forever captured on the icon. The monks successfully repelled the attack, and the icon became one of the main relics of Vatopedi and the entire Orthodox world, including the Vyatka land.

According to chronicles, many pilgrims visiting Velikoretskoe sought to visit the Raifa Desert and venerate the relic. Some loved the image of the Mother of God so much that they decided to settle nearby, and thus the settlement "Zaogradnaya Slobodka" arose, which eventually turned into the village of Pyshak. However, the monks, seeking solitude, began to leave the desert due to the increasing bustle. The desert gradually faded, and a fire destroyed the main church. The icon was saved, and the remaining monks were transferred to the Khlunov Theological Monastery along with the icon. However, when on September 8 the monks tried to move the icon, it remained in place. The diocesan authorities decided to leave the icon in the parish church of the village of Pyshak and consecrate an altar in honor of the Raifa icon. This took place on September 8, the feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.

By the decree of the Holy Synod, the desert was assigned to the Khlunov Theological Monastery in 1724 and was finally abolished no later than 1764. In 1770, when a new church was built, the priests and parishioners requested to consecrate an altar in honor of the Raifa icon, but on September 7, 1772, it was consecrated in honor of the Tikhvin icon. The vow of veneration was not fulfilled, and in 1807, the construction of a stone church with a Tikhvin altar was discussed again.

However, after the fire on November 30, 1818, when the wooden church burned down, only the Raifa icon was saved. The sacristan Theoktist Shishkin, who accomplished this feat, received fatal burns. After this event, on June 15, 1819, the altar of the new church was consecrated in honor of the Raifa icon, and the celebration for it was held on September 8, the day when the icon could not be moved from its place.

In 1828, the Raifa image of the Mother of God was made for the Transfiguration Church of the village of Velikoretskoe. Pilgrims sought to venerate the Raifa icon during the Velikoretskoe cross procession, and it was honored not only in Vyatka but also in the Vologda and Kostroma provinces.

On July 15, 1935, the Kirov regional executive committee terminated the contract with the Pyshak community of believers and closed the church, citing non-payment of taxes and fees for several years.