Sinful addictions are so widespread today that they are often not even considered a bad thing. But drunkenness is just as destructive as before - in addition to irreversible damage to health, it painfully hits the souls of everyone who lives under the same roof with an alcoholic. Deep psychological trauma remains in children. The “Inexhaustible Chalice” is an icon near which many believers beg for their husbands, sons, and friends suffering from chemical addictions.

How does the Inexhaustible Chalice icon help?

A person can experience excessive attraction not only to wine:

drugs (no matter “light” or “hard”);
smoking;
prodigal passion;
craving for gambling;
bodily ailments;
spiritual illnesses.

This, of course, is an incomplete list of what the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon helps with. Such a list does not exist at all; the presence of any unhealthy cravings is a reason to start worrying not only about the present, but also the afterlife. After all, the Gospel clearly says that it is better to tear off your hand than to succumb to sin. Because it prevents a person from connecting with the Creator.

Passion always affects not only the body, but also the soul, gradually subjugating a person’s entire being. He loses his will, he may even believe that addiction brings him pleasure and benefit. It's good to have people around who care. Unfortunately, loved ones are not always able to convince a person to start treatment. Therefore the only in an accessible way prayer remains.

What should be the prayer that should be read to the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon? To begin with, you can commit to reading the akathist for 40 days. It combines praise to God and petitions; there is no need to invent anything. But adding something of your own at the end is not prohibited.

Before rushing to help others, the holy fathers advise examining your own conscience. It is necessary to start visiting the temple, to cleanse yourself with the sacraments of repentance and communion. Only by overcoming your own anger and irritation can you take care of the soul of a loved one. You cannot bring someone to repentance through condemnation, yelling and anger.

Cup of salvation - the meaning of the icon

The theological meaning of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon is very deep and may not be clear at first glance. But we must try to delve into the very essence so that the prayer in front of the image is as conscious as possible.

Iconographically it belongs to the “Oranta” type, which means praying. The hands of the Ever-Virgin are raised to the sky and spread to the sides, palms open. In a similar way, a loving mother prays for the health of her only child. In the Russian tradition, Oranta is depicted either at full height, or, as in this case, to the waist.

Christ - Emmanuel is written at chest level. He stands in the bowl, both hands raised in a blessing gesture. The Savior and the Mother of God fix their gaze on those praying, as if encouraging them, giving them hope that the prayer will be heard. The chalice itself contains Communion, this inexhaustible vessel, that is, one that does not dry out. After all, the mercy of God, who gave the world his own Son as a sacrifice for sins, cannot end.

The static position of the poses and their complete symmetry are well suited for mosaics. Images of “Oranta” have been known since the first centuries of Christianity; they were found in the Roman catacombs. The mediation of the Mother of God praying for the whole world is the main idea of this composition. And also the endless mercy of Christ the Savior, unconditional love for everyone who repented of their evil deeds.

The history of the appearance of the icon

“The Inexhaustible Chalice” is one of those icons that were revealed directly in Russia. The story began with a dream. A certain soldier from the Tula province was a bitter drunkard, he got to the point where he could no longer walk. In a dream, an old monk appeared to him, who advised the man to go to the Vvedensky Monastery (Serpukhov). There he had to serve a prayer service in front of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon in order to be completely healed.

The soldier was in no hurry to set off, but the elder continued to appear, so the soldier gathered his strength and crawled to the monastery. But no one there had heard of such an icon. In the end, she was discovered, a prayer service was served, the pilgrim went home on healthy legs, as the legend says, he no longer drank. This happened in 1878. Since then, many people have been cured of addiction; even a sobriety society was formed in Serpukhov.

The icon gained all-Russian fame from the work of the Orthodox writer Ivan Shmelev, “The Inexhaustible Chalice,” which was published immediately after the revolution. In the 20s, the Vvedensky Monastery was closed, like most monasteries, but the icon remained in the cathedral church for several years. With the blessing of Bishop Manuel, several lists were made.

Soon the cathedral suffered the same fate; all the icons were burned. The miraculous prototype also disappeared - where the revealed “Inexhaustible Chalice” is located today is unknown. Orthodox monks do not lose hope that the Lord has preserved the shrine and one day it will be found again.

Temples where they get rid of drunkenness

Although you can pray anywhere, at any time, many people want to visit especially revered icons. The small house temple of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon in St. Petersburg has become very famous. It was consecrated not so long ago, in 1997, but more than a thousand people are already known to have been healed of various addictions. The temple is open at Orthodox society sobriety, which was the first to open after the 1917 revolution.

In Moscow, several dozen churches were consecrated in honor of this image. There are them all over Russia. Despite fatigue, circumstances and weather conditions, many make a pilgrimage to where the first miracle of healing took place - to the Vysotsky Monastery. In fact, there are two monasteries in Serpukhov: male and female. Each has its own icon of the Mother of God “The Inexhaustible Chalice”, both became famous for their miracles.

The Serpukhov Vysotsky Monastery was revived in 1991. The history of the monastery goes back many centuries - it was founded by St. Sergius of Radonezh. Archimandrite Joseph blessed the resumption of regular prayer services to the “Inexhaustible Chalice.” The modern revered image was painted by A. Sokolov; a silver chasuble with a piece of the Virgin Mary’s belt was donated to the icon.

Grateful pilgrims, whose prayers have been answered, usually donate decorations to the image; any miraculous icon can be immediately recognized by them. The icon of the Vysotsky Monastery is also richly decorated. But the point, of course, is not the price of jewelry - they remind us that God does not change over the centuries, He is still able to create any miracle today.

A similar miracle was the restoration of the Vladychny Convent (where the disappeared icon of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” was revealed). For convent a list was also made using an old photograph. The proportions and style of the image are as close as possible to the original.

The setting for the shrine was miraculously granted. When the icon was still with the master, someone left the scroll on the porch. It contained a carved icon case - ancient work, but in excellent condition. When the icon was delivered a few days later, it suited it perfectly. A few years later, the nuns learned that the salary was donated by one of the pilgrims, whose son was healed of drunkenness.

Through this image of the Queen of Heaven, many miracles have already been granted:

Myrrh-streaming (since August 2000).
Sometimes the Mother of God in the icon closes her eyes (this is recorded in the photo).
Healing from chemical addictions.
Help with housing issues.
Correction of a dissolute lifestyle.

Vladychinsky convent has another two dozen myrrh-streaming icons, so the trip will be full of spiritual events.

The soul should tell you which monastery to go to; there are no rules in this regard. Both monasteries receive pilgrims daily. You can stay for several days (in a special cell, or as a worker - do various jobs, for this the monastery authorities allow free meals and overnight stays).

In monasteries one should behave modestly; chatter is not welcome. Those who want to remain as an employee must have a medical record. Women are not accepted as laborers into monasteries - and vice versa. Similar rules apply in all Orthodox monasteries.

Home prayer to the Inexhaustible Chalice icon

Will the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon really help against drunkenness, or is it all a fairy tale? There is a guest book in the monastery, where you can find a lot of evidence - seemingly hopeless people have found a new, normal life. There is no single scheme that suits everyone, you need to have strong faith and the Lord will help. It happened that mothers even begged hard-core drug addicts, and this addiction, as we know, devours anyone in just a few years.

Pilgrims bring with them holy water and other shrines, and consecrate icons in monasteries. It is possible and necessary to pray at home, but many do not know where to hang the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon. There are several unspoken rules for posting any Orthodox images.

It is advisable to hang icons on the eastern side of the apartment.
There should be no other images (photos, posters, etc.) on the shelf with icons.
There should be enough space for several people to stand for prayer.
You cannot place icons above the TV, near the computer, or on bookshelves. You need to treat them appropriately, hang them on the wall or put them on a separate shelf.
The icon of the Savior is purchased first for the home iconostasis, then the rest.
Only canonical images can be used for prayer.

According to Abbot Alexy, prayers on behalf of the most dependent have the greatest power. True, many need a strong shock to realize their own weakness - the loss of family, the respect of children. The Lord finds a special path in everyone’s heart; it is important to find the strength to follow it to the end. After all, the voice of conscience lives in any person, but not everyone wants to listen to it.

Drunkenness is the death of body and soul

Saint John Chrysostom in his sermons placed drunkards lower than cattle - because animals, although they cannot speak, do no harm to anyone. A drunk person is also speechless, but can offend his neighbors. The Monk Ephraim the Syrian called this sin the mother of fornication. He urged people to avoid stormy feasts in order to avoid sin, and not to be tempted by the apparent ease of such a life.

What should a person who cannot go a day without drinking do? The first thing you need to do is stop making excuses for yourself (“the neighbor drinks more,” “I just drank for company,” “nothing can help me”). Admit that at the moment the craving for alcohol has prevailed and you cannot cope on your own. Only after this you need to take the next step.

Believers view the vice of drunkenness, first of all, as a spiritual problem. When Christ lives in a person’s heart, there is no craving for the bottle.

Any sin begins with a thought. The thoughts themselves are sent by the devil, you should not judge yourself for them. But we must immediately resolutely reject the temptation.
For help, turn in prayer to the image of the “Inexhaustible Chalice”, the Savior, in order to gain strength to fight sins. Resort to the help of church sacraments.
Repent of previous sins and begin to improve your life. Make peace with your loved ones, with your soul.
Quit any amount of alcohol forever. Change your social circle. It is “friends” who most often return drunkards to their usual rut.
If possible, go to a Christian rehabilitation center.

Through prayers at the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon, many were healed from drunkenness and other addictions. Even if you don’t have any special faith, you need to ask in prayer that the Lord opens your heart, teaches you how to pray correctly and how to treat your neighbors. The Most Holy Theotokos will not abandon those who have a strong determination to help themselves and their family.

Prayers to the icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice

Prayers before the holy image:

Troparion, tone 4

“Today we are the harbinger of faithfulness to the Divine and wonderful image of the Most Holy Mother of God, who fills the hearts of the faithful with the heavenly Inexhaustible Chalice of Her mercy, and shows miracles to the faithful. Seeing and hearing, we spiritually celebrate and cry warmly: O Lady of Mercy, heal our ailments and passions, beseeching Thy Son, Christ our God, to save our souls.”

Kontakion

“We have been granted a chosen and wondrous deliverance - Your honorable image, Lady Theotokos, as having been delivered by its appearance from mental and physical ailments and sorrowful circumstances, we offer grateful praise to You, All-Merciful Intercessor. But You, the Lady, whom we call the Inexhaustible Chalice, bow down graciously to our sighs and heartfelt cries, and grant deliverance to those suffering from the disease of drunkenness, so that with faith we cry to Thee: Rejoice, Lady, the Inexhaustible Chalice, who quenches our spiritual thirst.”

First prayer

“Oh, Most Merciful Lady! We now resort to Your intercession, do not despise our prayers, but mercifully hear us: wives, children, mothers and those obsessed with the serious illness of drunkenness, and for this from their mother - the Church of Christ and the salvation of those who fall away, brothers and sisters and heal our relative. Oh, Merciful Mother of God, touch their hearts and quickly raise them from the falls of sin, bring them to saving abstinence. Pray to Your Son, Christ our God, to forgive us our sins and not to turn His mercy away from His people, but to strengthen us in sobriety and chastity. Accept, O Most Holy Theotokos, the prayers of mothers who shed tears for their children, of wives who weep for their husbands, of children, orphans and wretches, abandoned by those who have gone astray, and of all of us who fall before Your icon. And may this cry of ours, through Your prayers, come to the Throne of the Most High. Cover and protect us from the evil trap and all the snares of the enemy, in the terrible hour of our exodus, help us to pass through the airy ordeals without stumbling, with Your prayers deliver us from eternal condemnation, may God’s mercy cover us for endless ages of ages. Amen".

From the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos
in honor of Her icon “Inexhaustible Chalice”

A remarkable writer of everyday life of Russian piety, Ivan Sergeevich Shmelev, tells the following about the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “The Inexhaustible Chalice,” which appeared in 1878 on Serpukhov soil, in the Vladychny Monastery:

“...Peasant carts stretch along forest roads towards the monastery. And hundreds of miles away, exhausted women bring their loved ones here - men raging, screaming in wild voices and men in animal form tearing from under the ropes. Helps against drunken illness “Inexhaustible Chalice”. Those who have lost their human form look at the indescribable face with distraught eyes, not understanding what and who this is, looking brightly with a golden cup, joyful and drawing people along, and they become quiet. And when quiet girls in white headscarves carry Her, following the “throne”, and sing in joyful voices, thousands of those who are sick in soul, seeking joyful consolation, fall under Her onto the dirty ground. Unseeing, inflamed eyes look wildly at the bright face and frantically shout what is suggested, asked: “I swear!” The cliques fight and scream with curses, tear their shirts... and frantically stare into the eyes of those who follow them. Brides come and hang pink ribbons - the key to happiness. Young women bring their firstborns, and “Inexhaustible” joyfully looks at them. What attracts one to Her - no one will say: they have not yet found the words to express their inner self. I only feel that something joyful is descending into my soul.”

In his wonderful story under the same title, Shmelev conveyed one of the legends about the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon, according to which this image was painted by a certain serf master Ilya. True history is silent about this, although the miraculous owes its current fame most of all to this story - and most importantly, with its undoubted grace-filled power to heal from a drunken illness.

In our troubled times Just like more than a century ago, hundreds and thousands of people seeking healing are flowing into the town of Serpukhov near Moscow. More valuable than the most precious salaries are those offerings of Christians, their children and households delivered from drunken obsession, with which the entire base of the miraculous image is covered. Its grace-filled power does not dry out; pilgrims now spread healing oil from lamps in front of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” and water blessed at special prayer services throughout Russia.

From time immemorial, monastic monasteries have been a storehouse of that mysterious and truly sacred silence, which every suffering Christian soul has always wanted to listen to and nourish. Such was the Serpukhov Vladychnaya Vvedenskaya monastery, founded in 1360 on what was then the outskirts of the Moscow principality, at the confluence of the brooding Nara and the bright Oka, called the Belt of the Mother of God, for this river separated and protected Holy Rus' from the wild Steppe, in the middle of “pine groves and red forests " From the first days of its existence, invisible streams of grace flowed from here. Founded as a monastery under the abbess of the Monk Varlaam, the former cell attendant of the saint of Moscow and the wonderworker Metropolitan Alexy, this monastery was also cared for by the Monk Sergius of Radonezh. The chronicles tell how the great Abbot of the Russian land came here at the beginning of the winter of 1374, together with his disciple Reverend Athanasius, and prayed in the white-stone cathedral of the Vladychny Monastery. The legend about the founding of the monastery has preserved for us the memory of miraculous phenomenon To the Most Pure Venerable Varlaam: “The vision showed the builder that even the Angels would help him in the labors of building the temple and maintain the monastery, that in this temple the Lady of Heaven herself would dwell just as she once dwelled in the temple of Jerusalem.”

And several centuries later this promise came true in its entirety.

By the end of the 18th century, the men's monastery of the Vladychny Monastery was declining and desolate. Divine services almost completely stopped, the small brethren scattered, the churches fell into disrepair. However, Metropolitan of Moscow Platon (Levshin), whose care began the spiritual flowering of the great Optina and many other monasteries, did not leave his care for the Vladychny Monastery, near which he spent his childhood. The Metropolitan obtained permission from Emperor Alexander I to revive this monastery as a nunnery, and in 1806 the first nuns appeared here. A quarter of a century later, another archpastor, Saint Philaret of Moscow, established the ancient strict rules of desert community in the Vladyka monastery, thereby restoring here the spirit of monastic non-covetousness and providentially preparing this monastery for the reception of such a blessed shrine as the “Inexhaustible Chalice.”

The old soldier crawled towards the monastery on all fours. On the very first night, he felt that his legs began to obey him again.

In the first year of Mother Maria’s abbess, namely in 1878, a peasant of the Tula province, a retired soldier who had an inescapable weakness for wine, had a vision of a certain elder who ordered him to go to Serpukhov, find the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon there and serve a prayer service in front of it. The old soldier, dehydrated from excessive drinking and penniless in his pocket, did not have the strength to get to the monastery. Then the vision happened twice more, and the old soldier, hoping to get rid of his illness, crawled to the monastery on all fours. On the very first night of his ascetic journey, he suddenly felt that his legs began to obey him again.

Having reached the monastery, he caused great confusion to its nuns, who did not know about the icon with that name. Then they suddenly remembered the image hanging in one of the monastery passages, in which the Infant Christ blessed those praying, as if coming from the Holy Chalice; behind Him, the Mother of God raised Her Most Pure hands, as they write Her on the icons of the Sign. And what a surprise everyone was when on the back of this hitherto unknown icon they actually saw the inscription “Inexhaustible Chalice”! It is also significant that the traveler brought to the shrine of the Monk Varlaam immediately recognized him as the magnificent old man who ordered him to go to the Lady for healing from the accursed illness. The news of the miraculous phenomenon quickly spread throughout the cities and villages, from everywhere people began to come to the wondrous image, obsessed with drunken passion, fell to the “Inexhaustible Chalice” - and without difficulty threw away the destructive wine, brought peace and quiet into their homes, and all this - with the prayers of the Intercessor of the family human.

The legend about this miraculous image of Her explains that the Inexhaustible, or Inexhaustible, Chalice is, according to the word of the akathist, a Chalice that draws joy, an inexhaustible source of consolation, healing, life and diverse spiritual benefits and gifts. And everyone will see the hidden spiritual meaning in the fact that the icon of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” has become a source of saving hopes and healings from the evil passion of wine drinking: the Mother of God prays for all sinners, She, the Merciful One, sees the suffering of those who indulge in drunkenness, knows how sincerely many of them They long to get rid of this cruel vice, but do not find the strength to fight. Here is the Most Pure One with Her holy icon “The Inexhaustible Chalice” and reminds them that She is an inexhaustible storehouse of grace and spiritual joy, which She pours into tormented hearts from Her never-fading Chalice heavenly delight, having drunk it, they will hate that destructive moisture that was previously so irresistible attracted the unfortunate to her.

Such sufferers must, in every place and at every time, resort to the all-powerful intercession of the Most Pure One, making it a rule to read the angelic greeting to Her at least three times a day: “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice.” And no matter how deep-rooted the cursed passion of drinking wine may be, it cannot resist the heavenly help of the Mother of God.

Troparion, tone 4

Today we come, faithfully, to the Divine and most wonderful image of the Most Holy Mother of God, who waters the hearts of the faithful with the heavenly Inexhaustible Cup of Her mercy and shows miracles to the faithful people. Seeing and hearing, we spiritually celebrate and cry out warmly: O most merciful Lady, heal our ailments and passions, beseeching Thy Son, Christ our God, to save our souls. Amen.

Prayer

O Most Gracious Lady! We now resort to Your intercession, do not despise our prayers, but graciously hear us: wives, children, mothers - and those who are obsessed with the serious illness of drunkenness and for the sake of our mother, the Church of Christ Ova, and the salvation of fallen brothers and sisters and heal our relatives.

O Merciful Mother of God, touch their hearts and quickly raise them from the falls of sin, bring them to saving abstinence. Pray to Your Son, Christ our God, that He may forgive us our sins and not turn His mercy away from His people, but may He strengthen us in sobriety and chastity. Accept

Most Holy Theotokos, prayers of mothers who shed tears for their children, wives who weep for their husbands, children, the orphaned and the needy, abandoned by those who have gone astray, and all of us who fall to icons other than Yours. And may this cry of ours, through Your prayers, come to the Throne of the Most High. Cover us and keep us from the evil deception and all the snares of the enemy, and in the terrible hour of our exodus, help us to pass through the airy ordeals without stumbling, through Your prayers deliver us from eternal condemnation, God's mercy covers us forever and ever. Amen.

Alcohol today harms not only the drinker, but also the people around him. At the same time, it becomes more and more difficult to overcome alcohol addiction each time, since modern methods are not able to completely cure an alcoholic. For example, a well-known drug will help a person only if the alcoholic himself wishes it - if not, the drunkard’s relatives will “throw away” the money and time spent on treatment.

As practice shows, people who drink are not able to understand the seriousness of their own condition: they do not control their behavior, are not able to solve their own problems, and also cannot stand up for themselves. To save a drunkard from alcoholism, narcologists advise asking for help from saints, since church rituals allow an alcoholic to overcome his addiction forever. Why does prayer against drunkenness help best in the fight against alcoholism? The fact is that prayers and other conspiracies inspire a person to believe in himself, and also support him during treatment. If the text of the rituals is read by a loved one of an alcoholic, the drunkard feels supported and tries to get rid of his addiction.

Prayers against drunkenness

Today there are many prayers known, each of which has its own effect on a person and cures him of a terrible disease. Such prayers force the alcoholic to “encode” his energy resource, as a result of which the craving for alcohol weakens significantly. Of course, some do not believe in the effect of rituals, but others, with severe alcoholism in a person, have to try any way to get rid of this bad habit. To prevent an alcoholic from drinking, they are ready to ask anyone for help, as long as it helps them get rid of their addiction.

They say that if the prayers in front of the icon are read correctly, and a loved one of the drunkard says the sacred ritual sincerely and with all his heart, this will certainly help overcome alcoholism.

Today, prayer to an icon depends on the saint who is located on it. For example, the following saints can save you from drunkenness:

Moses Murin;
icon of the Mother of God “Inexhaustible Chalice”;
Nicholas the Wonderworker;
prayers to the Holy Mother of God;
Matronushka.

Reading numerous reviews of people who have overcome alcoholism, one can understand that the Inexhaustible Chalice prayer for drunkenness is considered the fastest and most effective.

Not only an alcoholic, but also a person close to him who also suffers from this addiction is allowed to read such a ritual. This conspiracy has helped more than one generation to get rid of binges, restore vitality and accept new spiritual values.

Sinful people and heavy drunkards are allowed to pray to the icon of the Mother of God, since it helps everyone overcome this terrible illness. To quickly get out of a binge, it is recommended to read a prayer several times a day - at the same time, it is important to be sincere and kind towards the drunkard. You should not insult him or raise your voice at the person, because it should become clear to the Mother of God that your desire to overcome your loved one’s addiction comes from the bottom of your heart.

Persistence in repeatedly reading the prayer will not go unnoticed, and the sacred ritual will help overcome addiction in a short time.

The effect of the prayer to the Mother of God becomes noticeably “sharp” - the alcoholic suddenly comes to his senses and stops taking strong drinks. However, to consolidate this result, the person who asked for help from the icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice must pronounce the sacred words for another 40 days.

Prayers to this icon are considered especially powerful for a sister, brother, daughter or son who is unable to cope with alcoholism on their own. It is recommended to read the text of the plot in the morning, when everyone is still in the house.

To give an alcoholic a chance to restore his former life, the whole family should pray for him. At the same time, it is important to address only one icon and, accordingly, one saint.

People pray to the icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice so that the alcoholic does not know about it - then he will not deliberately play along and pretend to be a teetotaler. After all, it is much better when a person himself understands that he was able to quit drinking, and not when he was forced. To strengthen the result, after the sacred ritual, the drunkard should be given healing water, which will be obtained during the appeal to the saint.

Sequence of reading prayers at home

In order for the prayer service to help a person stop drinking alcohol, it is important to read it correctly:

the first step is to prepare 1 candle purchased on Thursday;
then it must be installed next to the icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice;
a small bowl of water is placed under the icon, which must then be added to the alcoholic’s drinks (this only applies to non-alcoholic products);
the text of the ritual should be pronounced in the dark 2 times;
it is important to memorize the prayer, since the saints do not accept reading it from a piece of paper;
after reading, you need to pray for the alcoholic, and also ask God for forgiveness for your relative, and also mention his sins, because of which Jesus should have mercy on him.

For the ritual to be effective, it is important for the person asking for help to repent, take communion and trust the Mother of God.

To consolidate the request and not refuse his words, the person praying should repeat the prayer every 40 days and visit church for sacred rituals.

For the Inexhaustible Chalice icon to help, first, the person reading the prayer must repent of his own sins.

Today, Father allows any relative to ask for help from the Mother of God, because the main thing is that the conspiracy is read from the heart, sincerely and openly. After reading the ritual of the Inexhaustible Chalice, it is also not forbidden to ask for help from other saints, which include Matronushka, Martyr Boniface, John of Kronstadt, and so on.

Attention: if a person who wants to save an alcoholic from a serious illness does not know how to read prayers, as well as “have a conversation” with saints, first he needs to study with Father, who will tell you about all the subtleties and nuances of reading the prayer.

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Prayer to the icon “INEXHAIBLE CHALICE”

“O most merciful Lady! We now resort to Your intercession, do not despise our prayers, but graciously hear us: wives, children, mothers; and heal the serious illness of drunkenness of those possessed and for the sake of your mother - the Church of Christ and the salvation of our fallen brothers and sisters and relatives. O merciful Magi of God, touch their hearts and quickly raise them from the falls of sin, bring them to saving abstinence. Pray to Your Son, Christ our God, to forgive us our sins and not to turn His mercy away from His people, but to strengthen us in sobriety and chastity. Accept, O Most Holy Theotokos, the prayers of mothers who shed tears for their children, of wives who weep for their husbands, of orphans and poor children abandoned as lost, and of all of us who fall before Your icon. And may this cry of ours come through Your prayers to the throne of the Most High. Cover and protect us from the evil trap and all the snares of the enemy, in the terrible hour of our exodus, help us to pass through the airy ordeal without stumbling, with Your prayers deliver us from eternal condemnation, may God’s mercy cover us for endless ages of ages. Amen".

Inexhaustible Chalice.

Drunkenness is destructive in that it depletes not only a person’s body, but also his mind and soul. And when a person’s soul hurts, medicines and herbs alone cannot help. The Church views alcoholism as a demonic influence on a person and believes that special help is needed here.

There is an icon of the Mother of God called the “Inexhaustible Chalice”. Probably, before any other icon, mothers and wives shed so many tears. They pray before her for healing of their loved ones from drunkenness. Usually on icons the Mother of God is depicted with the Child of God in her arms. In the same icon, she stretches out her hands over the Infant God in a chalice. This is the Cup of Communion, quenching spiritual thirst, giving a person joy and consolation.

The icon of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” was revealed in 1878. One retired soldier (a peasant by origin from the Tula province) reached a beggarly state, because he was obsessed with the passion of drunkenness; due to the abuse of wine, his legs even became paralyzed. One day, a strict schema-monk (elder) appeared to a soldier in a dream and said: “Go to Serpukhov, to the monastery of our Lady Theotokos. There is Her icon “The Inexhaustible Chalice”; serve a prayer service before her - and you will be healthy in soul and body.”

The drunkard didn't listen prophetic dream- after all, the path is not short. The elder appeared to him again - and again his voice did not reach his heart. The magnificent old man appeared for the third time and threateningly ordered that the command be carried out. After this, the unfortunate man nevertheless set off on the road, moving on all fours. And already on the way, he was granted some relief: he was able, although with great difficulty, to rise to his feet and continued his pilgrimage, leaning on a stick.

And here in front of him is an ancient monastery, founded with the blessing of St. Sergius of Radonezh. The monks were ready to serve the prayer service that the pilgrim asked for, but it turned out that none of them had even heard of such an icon. Then one of the monks remembered that in the passage from the main church to the sacristy there was an icon on which there was an image of a bowl. The half-forgotten icon was brought into the light and on the back they found the inscription: “The Inexhaustible Chalice.” The image was transferred to the temple and a prayer service was served. The former drunkard immediately felt relief, his legs were completely healed. And when he went home, his craving for alcohol disappeared.

They quickly learned about the miraculous icon in many parts of Russia,

Many now came to Serpukhov, seeking to be cured of drunkenness, and a special prayer service with an akathist began to be served at the monastery in front of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon.

After the 1917 revolution, churches and monasteries in Serpukhov were closed (and some were destroyed). However, prayer services in front of the miraculous icon were held until 1929 in St. Nicholas Cathedral, until it was closed too. All the shrines located in the temple were burned.

Now the fate of the original image is unknown exactly. In 1991, the Vysotsky Monastery became operational again. The “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon was recreated (according to oral descriptions) and consecrated. Prayers are again held in front of the miraculous icon; the stream of pilgrims flocking to it and receiving help through their prayers does not dry out. And lists from this icon are now in many churches and in them, just like in Serpukhov, special prayers are performed for healing from drunkenness (you can ask about this at the nearest church).

However, simply ordering a prayer service with an akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos for the sake of Her miraculous icon “The Inexhaustible Chalice” is not enough. After all, healing from drunkenness is a huge and long-term work of the soul. Icons do not perform any visible actions; they influence us with an invisible will. The benefits and miracles of the icon are not available to those whose soul is not open.

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before the icon "Inexhaustible Chalice" against drunkenness

Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary "Inexhaustible Thicket"

Icon of the Mother of God "Inexhaustible Chalice". Historical background

The icon of the Mother of God “Inexhaustible Chalice”, according to iconography, belongs to the “Oranta” type - the Mother of God is depicted with her hands raised up, in front of Her is the Infant God standing in a chalice. This is the Cup of Communion - an inexhaustible source of spiritual joy and consolation. The Most Holy Theotokos prays for all sinners and proclaims that the Inexhaustible Chalice of heavenly help and mercy is prepared for every sufferer.

The appearance of this icon was preceded by an unusual incident that occurred in 1878(*) in the Tula province. A certain retired soldier was obsessed with drinking. He drank everything he had and soon became a beggar. His legs were paralyzed from alcohol abuse, but this did not stop him and he continued to drink. Once in a dream, a former soldier, and now a peasant, saw an elder who ordered him to go to the city of Serpukhov to the monastery of the Lady Theotokos, where the icon of the Mother of God “The Inexhaustible Chalice” was located, and serve a prayer service in front of it. Without a penny, with his legs swollen, the peasant could not set off. But the holy elder appeared to him for the second and third time and threateningly commanded him to fulfill what he had said. The retired soldier went to Serpukhov on all fours. In one of the villages that lay on the way, he stopped to rest. To ease the traveler’s pain and suffering, the old housewife rubbed his feet and laid him on the stove. The next day the soldier felt better, but the mistress left him for another night, again rubbing his sore legs. Leaning on two, and then one stick, the peasant slowly reached Serpukhov.

At the Vladychny Monastery, he spoke about his wondrous dreams and asked to serve a prayer service before the icon of the Mother of God “The Inexhaustible Chalice.” But his request confused the nuns of the monastery: no one in the monastery knew such an icon. Only after some time did they find the icon hanging in the passage from the temple to the sacristy. On the reverse side of it was the inscription “The Inexhaustible Chalice”... In the face of the disciple of St. Alexis, the Monk Varlaam, the peasant immediately recognized the holy elder who had appeared to him in a dream. The retired soldier returned home from Serpukhov, already free from his destructive passion.

The news of the miraculous icon quickly spread throughout Russia. People who suffered from drunkenness, their relatives and friends, hurried to offer prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos for healing from their illness; many came afterwards to thank the Lady for Her great mercy.

The miraculous icon “The Inexhaustible Chalice” was in the Vladychny Monastery until 1919, and after its closure - in the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Bely on Kaluzhskaya Street. The further fate of the icon is unknown.

In 1993 in Serpukhov Vysotsky monastery, and in 1995, lists were made in the revived Vladychny Monastery miraculous icon, while all the proportions and academic style characteristic of the original were preserved. All this served as the beginning of a revival of the veneration of the miraculous icon after many years of fighting against God.

People come from all over Russia and other countries to venerate the icon of the Mother of God “The Inexhaustible Chalice”. The miraculous icon is famous for its speedy healing of those suffering from the ailments of drug addiction, alcoholism and smoking. It has been noticed that the icon not only heals, but also helps to change a person’s lifestyle, brings him to awareness of his sins, repentance, and returns him to a pious life.

Unfortunately, the exact day on which the icon was revealed is not known. In the 19th century, the celebration in honor of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon took place on November 27 - the same day as the “Sign” icon of the Mother of God, since both of these icons are similar in iconography.

At the end of the 20th century, after the restoration of the veneration of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon, its celebration was timed to coincide with the day of the repose of St. Varlaam of Serpukhov - May 5, since the appearance of the miraculous icon occurred through the intercession of this saint. In 1997, with the blessing His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II was established to celebrate the church-wide celebration of the icon of the Mother of God "The Inexhaustible Chalice" on May 5.

Orthodox church calendar

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Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos before Her icon "The Inexhaustible Chalice"

Troparion to the Most Holy Theotokos before Her Icon “The Inexhaustible Chalice”, tone 4

Today we are the harbinger of faithfulness to the Divine and wonderful image of the Most Holy Mother of God, filling the hearts of the faithful with the heavenly Inexhaustible Chalice of Her mercy, and showing miracles to the faithful. Seeing and hearing, we spiritually celebrate and cry warmly: O Lady of Mercy, heal our ailments and passions, beseeching Thy Son, Christ our God, to save our souls.

Kontakion of the Mother of God before Her icon "The Inexhaustible Chalice", tone 4

We have been granted a chosen and wondrous deliverance - Your honorable image, Lady Theotokos, as having been delivered by its appearance from mental and physical ailments and sorrowful circumstances, we offer grateful praise to You, All-Merciful Intercessor. You, the Lady, whom we call the Inexhaustible Chalice, bow down graciously to our sighs and heartfelt cries, and grant deliverance to those suffering from the disease of drunkenness, so that with faith we cry to Thee: Rejoice, Lady, the Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.

Kontakion of the Mother of God before Her icon “The Inexhaustible Chalice”, tone 6

Thy belly became the holy Table, having the Heavenly Bread, Christ our God, from which no one who eats poison dies, as everyone says, the Mother of God, the Nourisher.

Prayer of the Most Holy Theotokos before Her Icon "Inexhaustible Thicket"

Oh, Most Merciful Lady! We now resort to Your intercession, do not despise our prayers, but mercifully hear us: wives, children, mothers and those who are obsessed with the serious illness of drunkenness, and for the sake of our mother - the Church of Christ and the salvation of those who fall away, brothers and sisters, and heal our relatives. Oh, Merciful Mother of God, touch their hearts and quickly raise them from the falls of sin, bring them to saving abstinence. Pray to Your Son, Christ our God, to forgive us our sins and not to turn His mercy away from His people, but to strengthen us in sobriety and chastity. Accept, O Most Holy Theotokos, the prayers of mothers who shed tears for their children, of wives who weep for their husbands, of children, the orphaned and the poor, abandoned as lost, and of all of us who fall before Your icon. And may this cry of ours, through Your prayers, come to the Throne of the Most High. Cover and protect us from the evil trap and all the snares of the enemy, in the terrible hour of our exodus, help us to pass through the airy ordeals without stumbling, with Your prayers deliver us from eternal condemnation, may God’s mercy cover us for the endless ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, an inexhaustible chalice. Home prayer to the Inexhaustible Chalice icon. Icon of the Mother of God "Inexhaustible Chalice". Historical background