In the Orthodox Church, prayer services are served for special occasions. Most often, people turn to the Mother of God, a zealous Intercessor, praying for the well-being of children, for deliverance from illness, heavy drinking, family troubles and other life circumstances. For people obsessed with the passion of drug addiction, smoking and alcoholism, a prayer is performed to the Mother of God in front of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” icon, which showed its mercy in the 19th century. And, judging by numerous testimonies and the number of pilgrims to the miraculous image of the Blessed Mother, people who appeal to God for help are not left without consolation.
Date of celebration: May 18
History of appearance
In 1878, one extraordinary event occurred in Russia, which marked the beginning of the popularity of the Inexhaustible Chalice icon. A peasant who lived in the Tula province became so addicted to alcohol that he drank almost all his property and lost his family, job and health. His legs began to fail from endless drinking, but even this did not stop him from his addiction.
One night he had a dream where a gray-haired old man ordered him to go to the church at the monastery in Serpukhov and serve a prayer service in front of the icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice. The peasant dared to do this only when the elder began to appear to him every night and ordered him more and more strongly to carry out the instructions. As a result, the drunkard gave up and finally reached the monastery. Upon arrival, he turned to the monks with a request to hold a prayer service in front of the indicated icon. But for some reason they had not heard of such an image.
One quick-witted monk drew attention to one icon that hung at the entrance to the temple. It depicted the Virgin Mary with a cup. When the icon was removed from the nail and turned over, on it, in truth, there was the inscription The Inexhaustible Chalice. It turned out that this image was the work of the Monk Varlaam, who appeared in the peasant’s dreams. After the prayer service was served, the man got rid of his illness forever and left the monastery completely healthy.
Icon of the Mother of God against drunkenness “Inexhaustible Chalice”
The history of the “Chalice” is associated with another legendary image of the Mother of God of Nicea. The canvas entitled “Thy belly was the Holy Meal” became widespread in 304. When Amir was besieging the city of Nicaea, which is located in Asia Minor, one of the residents of the besieged city saw an icon of the Mother of God near him. He was angry and decided to take it out on the image. He began to destroy everything around him, threw a stone at the canvas, and then began to trample the face with his feet.
At night, the Mother of God appeared to him in a dream and predicted his death. The next day, during the battle, this martyr received a stone in the head, then his body fell and was trampled under the feet of his rivals. This event was described by the First Council of Nicaea in 325. Then the church ministers began the method of singing akathists and glorifications over the canvas of the Mother of God.
The appearance of the image itself dates back to 1878. Then a peasant soldier of the Efremov district of the Tula province, obsessed with drunkenness, saw in a dream an old man who told him to go to the Serpukhov Monastery. The elder said that there was a miraculous icon there that would help the peasant recover from drunkenness. The peasant was so impressed by the vision that the next day he set off on his journey on all fours.
When he appeared at the gates of the Vvedensky Monastery, he immediately spoke about his vision. But no one knew about a face that could help him. Finally, they found a canvas for him, where it was written on the reverse side that this was exactly the same “Chalice”. On the icon he saw an old man who appeared to him in a dream. It was Elder Varlaam. After the prayer service was performed, the drunkard received complete deliverance from his addiction. After this incident, prayer services for targeted healing began to be held, and pilgrims from everywhere began to flock to the monastery.
The icon was especially revered in Serpukhov. The Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood became famous throughout the country. There, in the center of the city, a sobriety center was created, and the icon became a symbol of brotherhood. Each prayer service began with an akathist, then was supported by religious conversations.
It is believed that the veneration of the icon was local in nature. Mention of it is completely absent in other religious and church literature. But it is known that the icon inspired the writer Shmelev to write a story called “The Inexhaustible Chalice.”
Meaning in Orthodoxy
The Orthodox people were so deeply imbued with the image of the Inexhaustible Chalice, against the background of widespread drunkenness among ordinary peasants, that a “brotherhood of sobriety” was organized in the Church of Alexander Nevsky in Serpukhov. Every Sunday, parishioners read an akathist to the Mother of God in front of Her icon; people suffering from alcoholism and their families were present, praying to the Mother of God for healing from this illness. After the service, people gathered and talked about religious and moral topics.
How to properly pray and read the canon to the Most Holy Theotokos
In the Orthodox calendar, the Inexhaustible Chalice is venerated on May 5th. On this day, people come to bless water and icons with the image of the Virgin Mary for home use. In the house, the icon should be hung on the eastern wall, and all paintings and photographs located nearby should be removed to another place.
The Canon of the Most Holy Theotokos must be read by the sufferer himself. Even if he does not have enough faith in his heart, he must still begin to ask God to open his heart and instill faith in him.
It is better to sincerely confess to God your unbelief than to act as a pharisaist, pretending to be a true believer. As the father of the suffering youth cried out to the Almighty in the Gospel of Mark: “I believe, Lord! Help my unbelief."
Prayer against smoking to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk
There is a prayer for the taming of passions, compiled by St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, which must be read. And the more often, the better!
Prayer for taming passions
Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of God, Son of David according to the flesh, as You had mercy on the Canaanites: my soul is angry with anger, rage, evil lust and other destructive passions. God! Help me, I cry to You, who walks not on earth, but sits on the right hand of the Father in heaven. Hey, Lord! Grant me my heart, with faith and love, to follow Your humility, kindness, meekness and long-suffering, so that in Your eternal Kingdom I will be worthy to partake of the table of Your servants, whom You have chosen. Amen.
Full text of the prayer
The canonical prayer service to the holy image of the Virgin Mary and the infant Christ includes a troparion, in which believers ask for deliverance from an illness, a kontakion, including a song of thanksgiving, and the prayer itself, which can be read separately while at home.
Troparion, 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
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.
Prayer
O 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, for the sake of our mother, the Church of Christ, and for the salvation of our fallen brothers, sisters and relatives, heal. O merciful Mother of God, touch their hearts and quickly raise them from the falls of sin and 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, O Most Holy Theotokos, the prayers of mothers who shed tears for their children, of wives who weep for their husbands, of orphaned and wretched children, of the lost ones abandoned, and of all of us who fall to Thy icon, and may this cry of ours, through Thy prayers, come to the throne Almighty. Cover and keep us from crafty deception 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.
Prayer against smoking to St. John Chrysostom
Also, in difficult moments of despair, prayer to St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, keeps you on the right path.
O great saint John Chrysostom! You have received many and varied gifts from the Lord, and as a good and faithful servant, you have multiplied all the talents given to you for good: for this reason, you were truly a universal teacher, as every age and every rank comes from you. Behold, you appeared as an image of obedience to the youth, a luminary of chastity to the young, a mentor to the husband of industriousness, a teacher of kindness to the old, a rule of abstinence to the monk, an inspired leader from God to those who pray, an enlightener of wisdom to those who seek the mind, an inexhaustible source of living words to the branches of kind words, a star of mercy to the benefactors, an image to those in charge of the wise government. , an inspirer of truth for the zealots of boldness, a mentor of truth for the sake of the persecuted, patience: you were everything to everyone, and you saved everyone. Over all these you have acquired love, which is the sauce of perfection, and with that, as if by the power of the Divine, you have united all the gifts in your soul into one, and this same love, shared and reconciling, in the interpretation of the words of the apostles, you preached to all the faithful. We are sinners, having the same gift for each, the unity of the soul and the union of the world are not imams, but we are vanity, irritating each other, envious of each other: for this sake of the gift, our divided not into peace and salvation, but into enmity and condemnation, turned over to us . In the same way, we fall to you, the saint of God, overwhelmed by discord, and in contrition of heart we ask: with your prayers drive away from our hearts all the sorrow and envy that divides us, so that in many places we may remain one church body without restraint, so that according to your prayerful words we may love each other friend. Amen.
Other prayers before the icon in Russian
For those who find it difficult to stand on their feet throughout the entire prayer service in church, it is worth reading short prayers to the Mother of God, which are not difficult to remember. It is not necessary to resort to canonical prayers compiled in honor of the Inexhaustible Chalice icon. It will be enough to read the Jesus Prayer or the Theotokos rule daily, by which the Monk Seraphim of Sarov was saved. Here, for example, are 2 prayers that are easy to remember. They should be read daily, especially in those moments when the craving for alcohol, drugs and other addictions begins to overcome.
First
O Most Holy Lady Lady Theotokos! Raise us, servant of God (names), from the depths of sin and deliver us from sudden death and from all evil. Grant us, O Lady, peace and health and enlighten our minds and the eyes of our hearts to salvation, and grant us, Thy sinful servants, the Kingdom of Thy Son, Christ our God: for His power is blessed with the Father and His Most Holy Spirit.
Second
Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord, show me, the poor, and the servants of God (names) Your ancient mercy: send down the spirit of reason and piety, the spirit of mercy and meekness, the spirit of purity and truth. Hey, Most Pure Lady! Be merciful to me here and at the Last Judgment. For you are, O Lady, the glory of heaven and the hope of earth. Amen.
John of Kronshdat
During his lifetime, John of Kronshdat was an ordinary priest who served in the port city of Kronshdat near St. Petersburg. During his lifetime, people remembered him as a great man of prayer and missionary who asked God for deliverance from drunkenness, fornication and gambling addiction, especially common mental illnesses among local fishermen and visiting sailors. Since then, the priest has also become known as an intercessor and healer from the listed addictions, the essence of which is one thing - gluttony.
The prayer to John of Kronshdat is read as follows:
O great wonderworker and glorious saint of God, Father John, who has the grace of God! Look at those praying to you and hear our prayers with your kind heart. The Lord has given you great spiritual gifts, be an intercessor for us and a constant prayer book. We are tormented by sinful passions, evil thoughts eat us up, we neglected the commandments of God and prayer, we have little repentance and did not bring tearful sighs about our sins to God - and now, we are punished with the sorrows and sorrows that we deserve.
And you, our righteous father John, have great grace from God and compassion for people, ask the Generous Lord Almighty to give His mercy to us, tolerate our untruths and not punish us for our sins, but give us time for repentance and correction and He gave us (our loved ones) healing from drunkenness. O Saint of God, help us to preserve the Orthodox Faith and to fulfill the commandments of God, so that no sin possesses us, so that because of us the Truth of God is not desecrated, but so that we can live our lives happily and peacefully, and reach our death in old age, painless, calm and Christian, having partaken of the Mysteries of Christ.
We also pray to you, righteous John of Kronstadt, that our Church may be strong, that our Fatherland may be peaceful and prosperous in the Truth of God, protected by you from evil, and that the peoples of our land, preserved by God, will be in unanimity of faith, in purity and spiritual brotherhood, with reverence and testified with agreement: God is with us! May we live with the Lord and glorify Him forever! Amen.
Matronushka
Mother Matrona of Moscow, our contemporary, became famous during her lifetime as a great prayer book for everyone suffering from one or another illness. At her requests from our Lord, thousands of people were healed from the most serious illnesses, including the sin of drunkenness. And even after her death, people still come to the grave to ask for help and intercession, as she herself commanded everyone who loved her during her lifetime.
Her holy relics are located in Moscow, in the Taganka Church. It is not necessary to wait for her memorial day, which is celebrated on May 2, 3 days before the prayer service is read before the Inexhaustible Chalice. On any day, a sufferer, at the behest of his heart, can come to the Intercession Monastery and ask Mother Matrona for help.
The canonical prayer before the icon of the Matrona of Moscow reads as follows:
O blessed Mother Matrono, with your soul standing in heaven before the Throne of God, with your body resting on earth, and exuding various miracles by the grace given from above. Look now with your merciful eye on us, sinners, in sorrows, illnesses and sinful temptations, our waiting days, comfort us, desperate ones, heal our fierce ailments, from God we are allowed by our sins, deliver us from many troubles and circumstances, pray to our Lord Jesus Christ forgive us all our sins, iniquities and falls, in whose image we have sinned from our youth even to this day and hour, and through your prayers having received grace and great mercy, we glorify in the Trinity the One God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever. Amen.
Nicholas the Wonderworker
Nicholas of Myra the Wonderworker came from a rich family, but he spent all his wealth on helping the disadvantaged and those in need of mercy and repentance. During his lifetime, he was the rector of the temple in Myrlikia, an ancient city located in Turkey. It was not for nothing that he was called a miracle worker, because through his prayers hundreds of thousands of people were healed before and after his death. Today, the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is found in almost every Orthodox Christian home.
The following prayer should be read by a wife for her husband, who suffers from alcoholism, with sincere faith and humility:
Wonderworker Nicholas, I turn to you with a prayer. Generously have mercy and deliver my husband against his will, you have found disgust and empty his craving for drunken libation. He will not sip, swallow or pour out harmful drink without a shudder. And he will sip and pour the property into the belly of holy water.
Saint Boniface
An ordinary Roman, Bonifatius, who lived at a time when the Roman Empire existed and persecuted Christians, was a simple servant to his rich mistress. He was an ordinary merry fellow and drunkard, no different from the rest of the Romans, who without a twinge of conscience indulged in pleasures and alcoholism.
But the Lord decided that Boniface’s days would not end in sin and sent him to Asia, at the request of his mistress, to bring her the remains of executed Christians. She hoped that her sins would be forgiven the moment she touched the holy relics. Boniface arrived in Asia and saw with his own eyes how Christians were executed and their bodies were tormented. He was amazed by the strength of spirit of these holy martyrs and at that very moment believed in the true God, for which he was also executed.
Thus, Boniface became one of those saints who are prayed to with a request to heal those suffering from alcoholism, fornication and craving for a riotous lifestyle. One should pray to Saint Boniface in front of his icon, reading the following prayer: Oh, all-holy Boniface, merciful servant of the Merciful Master! Hear those who come running to you, obsessed with the addiction to drinking wine, and, just as in your earthly life you never refused to help those who asked you, so now deliver these unfortunates (names). Amen.
Moses Murin
The reason why families whose relatives suffer from drunkenness are advised to pray to the holy ascetic Moses Murin is that during his lifetime Moses received the power from God to fight demons. Murin himself in his youth was a robber and robber, but due to a certain coincidence of circumstances, he found the strength to repent and come to the monastery to repent.
At first the brethren did not want to let him in, but he proved his sincere intention and won their favor. For many years he struggled with the demon of fornication, which gave him no rest even at night. Moses spent the night in prayer and vigil so as not to fall into temptation. One day he almost despaired and wanted to leave the monastery, but he suddenly fell ill and lay motionless for the whole year. When he was healed, he discovered that the Lord had healed him of the passion of fornication and rewarded him with the power to drive out demons.
Since then, Moses Murin has been prayed to every time the demon of drunkenness, fornication or drug addiction begins to overcome a person’s thoughts.
The prayer to the saint sounds like this:
Oh, the great power of repentance! Oh, the immeasurable depth of God's mercy! You, Reverend Moses, were formerly a robber, but then you were horrified by your sins, grieved over them, and in repentance came to the monastery, and there, in great lamentation for your former iniquities and in difficult deeds, you spent your days until your death, and was awarded the grace of Christ's forgiveness. and the gift of miracles. Oh, reverend, you have achieved wonderful virtues from grave sins! Help also the servant of God (names) who pray to you, who are drawn into destruction by indulging in the immeasurable consumption of wine, which is harmful to the soul and body.
Bow your merciful gaze upon them and do not despise them, but listen to them as they come running to you. Pray, holy Moses, the Lord Christ, so that He, the Merciful, does not reject them, and may the devil not rejoice at their destruction, but may the Lord have mercy on these powerless and unfortunate (names), who were possessed by the destructive passion of drunkenness, for we are all God’s creatures and redeemed by the Most Pure One The blood of His Son. Hear, Reverend Moses, their prayer, drive away the devil from them, grant them the power to overcome their passion, help them, stretch out your hand, lead them to the path of good, free them from the slavery of passions and deliver them from wine drinking, so that they, renewed, in sobriety and a bright mind, they loved abstinence and piety, and eternally glorified the All-Good God, who always saves His creatures. Amen.
Akathist
An akathist to the Holy Virgin Mary before Her icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice is read on the day of remembrance of this image, May 5. At home, the text presented can also be read by lighting a candle or oil lamp. In the akathist, the last kontakion should be read 3 times, then 1 ikos and kontakion should be read again.
Kontakion 1
We have been granted a chosen and wondrous deliverance, / Thy honorable image, Lady Theotokos, / as having been delivered by its appearance from mental and physical ailments / and sorrowful circumstances, / we offer grateful praise to Thee, All-Merciful Intercessor. / You, Lady, whom we call the “Inexhaustible Chalice,” / bow graciously to our sighs / and cry from the heart, / and grant deliverance to those suffering from the disease of drunkenness, / so that we may cry out to You with faith: / Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, / spiritual thirst our quencher.
Ikos 1
The angelic ranks and hosts of righteous people constantly glorify Thee, the Queen Theotokos, intercessor for the many-sinful Christian race, mired in lawlessness and abiding in sins, for for consolation and salvation You grant them Your mercy through Your many-named miraculous icons, which are like the stars of heaven throughout our entire earth. we see; To one of these images, the “Inexhaustible Chalice” called, falling, from the depths of the heart we cry out to You:
Rejoice, village of the impregnable Divinity; Rejoice, constant surprise of people.
Rejoice, you who cleanse our sins through sorrows; Rejoice, you who heal our infirmities through sorrow.
Rejoice, You who send Your mercy to us from above through Your miraculous icons; Rejoice, you who make our sorrowful hearts glad by the manifestation of them.
Rejoice, wonderful reconciliation of all with God; Rejoice, eternal deliverance from Gehenna.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 2
Seeing the sorrow of the heart, the torment of the soul, the sincere repentance of people obsessed with the destructive vice of drunkenness, You deigned to show Your mercy to the God-saved city of Serpukhov by the appearance of the most wonderful image of Your “Inexhaustible Chalice”, and everyone fell to Him with faith and a contrite heart, having received healing from a serious illness. their illness, from the depths of their souls they cry out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
Understanding the threefold appearance of the Venerable Varlaam and his command to travel to the God-saved city of Serpukhov, a certain man, obsessed with the passion of drunkenness, found there in the monastery your holy icon, called the “Inexhaustible Chalice”. We, seeing such care for us sinners, cry out to Ti with reverence:
Rejoice, through pious people you reveal the glory of Your miracles to sinners; Rejoice, perspicacious guide, showing them the path of salvation.
Rejoice, our all-good teacher, who attracts us with Your love; Rejoice, for teaching us gratitude for all Your good deeds.
Rejoice, you who transform our sorrow into joy; Rejoice, you who cheer us with undoubted hope.
Rejoice, destroyer of our destructive passions; Rejoice, you who promote good intentions.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 3
The power of the Most High and the grace of the Lady strengthened a certain person suffering from the disease of drunkenness, when he, his legs weakened by his property, went to the city of Serpukhov, the command of the Mother of God spoken through the Monk Varlaam, fulfilling. Having come to this city, you found an icon of the Most Pure Mother of God, you were healed from your mental and physical illness, and from the depths of your soul you cried out to God in gratitude: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Possessing an inexhaustible source, an inexhaustible chalice of heavenly gifts, not only the people of the city of Serpukhov, but also all Orthodox Christians from other cities and towns, flowing to Your wonderful image, the “Inexhaustible Chalice” called, and before this, having received healing, with falling, grateful lips they cry out to You:
Rejoice, font, in which all our sorrows are immersed; Rejoice, cup, with it we will receive the joy of our salvation.
Rejoice, healer of our mental and physical infirmities; Rejoice, taming our passions by the power of Your prayers.
Rejoice, you who are helpful in giving every need to those who ask; Rejoice, you who give countless bounties to everyone.
Rejoice, thou who revealsest treasures of mercy to us; Rejoice, you who show mercy to the fallen.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 4
Those who have a storm of dubious thoughts, but with sincere repentance, flowing to Your ineffable mercy, possessed by a drunken passion, receive healing, and from the depths of their hearts they cry out to our Savior born of You: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Hearing the grievous sorrows, the cries and cries of wives, elders, children, whose relatives are overwhelmed by drunken passion, He gave them, Lady, Your icon, from which all those who flow find consolation and spiritual joy and cry out to Thee with tears:
Rejoice, O Lamb, who gave birth to the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world; Rejoice, cup that draws us joy from the source of immortality.
Rejoice, consolation to sorrowful mothers; Rejoice, hopeless hope.
Rejoice, blessed protection of those who flow to You; Rejoice, consolation and amusement for those who mourn.
Rejoice, thou who calmest the excitement of the passion of drunkenness; Rejoice, extending Your helping hand to those in need.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 5
As You showed us the God-bearing star, Your venerable icon, O Lady of the world, even as we see, praying to You with heartfelt faith, the Mother of God, we say: Heal through drunkenness and other mental and physical illnesses those who suffer, and teach the faithful to sing praises to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Seeing the glorious miracles and wonderful signs that happen not only from Your icon, the Mother of God, revealed in the city of Serpukhov, but also from the images copied in the likeness of this icon, falling to them, we humbly cry out to You:
Rejoice, quickly presenting Helper to those who diligently flow to You; Rejoice, merciful hearer of our prayers.
Rejoice, thou who hast overshadowed the city of Serpukhov with Thy blessing; Rejoice, having shown the glory of Your miracles within the boundaries of Moscow.
Rejoice, for all who require an infinite treasure of healing; Rejoice, O omnipotent Patroness of those who labor in sobriety.
Rejoice, good Helper who wages war against the world, the flesh, the devil and drunkenness; Rejoice, zealous Intercessor in the world of piously living people.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 6
Preaching Your miracles, Mother of God, from Your icon, the “Inexhaustible Chalice” called, we pray to You, Most Pure One, with tears: Deliver us all from addiction to wine and from the fall of sin, teach us abstinence, striving to sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
You shone in the light of Divine glory, the Virgin Mary, on the Child, the Eternal God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who stands before us in a vessel, as if in an inexhaustible chalice, as we see You depicted on your icon, the “Inexhaustible Chalice” mysteriously called, from inexhaustible deliverance from the passion of a piano you give to those who flow with faith: for this reason, with tears, we bring to You the silent voices of the Lord:
Rejoice, for in You the council of angels and the human race rejoice and triumph; Rejoice, for Your glory surpasses the praises of earth and heaven.
Rejoice, you who reveal to us the Mystery of the Divine Eucharist by the mysterious image of the Son in a vessel; Rejoice, the Lamb you gave birth to, always to eat and never to be consumed, wonderfully showing us.
Rejoice, cup of life and immortality, who leads us to the gates of eternal life; Rejoice, filling thirsty souls with the source of incorruption and joy.
Rejoice, who with innumerable goodness does not abandon the most despised and rejected; Rejoice, thou who by Thy mercy snatches away the hopeless from the pit of destruction.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 7
Although a certain person should thank You, Lady, for healing from the disease of drunkenness, decorate Your wonderful icon, the Mother of God, residing in the city of Serpukhov, singing from the depths of the heart to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
We see a new miracle, Lady, from Your holy icon: a certain servant of God Stefan, suffering from the disease of drunkenness, resorting to Your maternal intercession, got rid of his serious illness, and, thanking You, adorned Your icon with beautiful gifts, and, falling to it, with cry out to you with tears:
Rejoice, Life-Giving Source of healings; Rejoice, heavenly cup of Divine gifts.
Rejoice, ever-flowing river of healing; Rejoice, sea, drowning all our passions.
Rejoice, thou who, under the weight of the sin of drunkenness, raises Thy hand to the mothers of those who fall; Rejoice, you who do not reject gifts of gratitude.
Rejoice, thou who gladdeneth the hearts of pious people; Rejoice, you who fulfill all our good requests.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 8
It is strange and doubtful for non-believers to hear how the icon of Your holy “Inexhaustible Chalice” of Divine healing exudes a miracle. But we, believing Your word, O Lady, spoken to Your first-written icon: “Let the grace of the One who was born of Me and Mine be with this icon,” we believe that this icon of Yours also exudes Your grace. Let us also kiss you reverently, crying out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
People suffering from the disease of drunkenness place all their hope in Thee, the Lady. Bow down to our weaknesses and passions, for who will bring us sinners out of the ditch of destruction and spiritual and physical poverty, if not You, Lady, for this sake, bow the knee before Your most pure image, crying out to Ti thus:
Rejoice, you who do not reject the prayers of sinners; Rejoice, you who send down Your heavenly help to those who call upon You.
Rejoice, showing the depth of Your mercy to sinners; Rejoice, you who encourage the desperate and hopeless.
Rejoice, you who extend a helping hand to those obsessed with the passion of drunkenness; Rejoice, you who console patient sufferers with gifts of grace.
Rejoice, healer of our mental and physical ailments; Rejoice, teaching us to despise the vain joys of this world.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 9
Every angelic nature was amazed at the work of Your mercy, Lord, for You have granted to the sinful human race a firm Intercessor and Helper, who bows to our infirmities and frees us from the bitter illness of drunkenness, and teaches the faithful to sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
The leaders of humanity are perplexed to praise the glorious appearance of Your icon, O Lady. Below we, sinners, from our vile lips will be able to bring worthy praise to our Intercessor. Moreover, the countless miracles revealed by Your icon, having seen, rejoicing in soul and heart, we say to You:
Rejoice, you who flow miracles from Your sacred face; Rejoice, thou who quickly deliverest from troubles and sorrows.
Rejoice, you who put to shame those who reject You; Rejoice, you who preserve those who come to You from all evil.
Rejoice, through Your gentle radiance you disperse the darkness of sin and the darkness of our passions; Rejoice, filling our souls with love for You and Your Son.
Rejoice, you who wisely guide us on the path of repentance; Rejoice, zealous intercessor gave us a good answer before the Righteous Judge.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 10
Although You have granted Your wondrous icon, the Mother of God, to save many who suffer from the disease of drunkenness, all of them, possessed by this passion, flow to Your miraculous image and, having received healing, cry out to God in tenderness: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
Thou art a wall and a shield, O Mother of God, to people suffering from the disease of drunkenness, and to all who zealously flock to Thee and reverently venerate Thy holy icon. For the Lord has given us this gift of good things to help and heal us from destructive passions, and hereby inspires us to sing to You:
Rejoice, quenching our desperate hopes and sorrows; Rejoice, healing of mental and physical illnesses.
Rejoice, you who cleanse our filth with Your purity; Rejoice, you who enlighten our unworthiness with your grace.
Rejoice, thou who clothest our corruptible clay into incorruption; Rejoice, strengthening our prayers through Your intercession.
Rejoice, you who strengthen us in our weakness; Rejoice, thou who quickly disperses the cloud of passions that surrounds us.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 11
Our humble singing, offered to You out of the fullness of love and zeal, do not despise, O Pure One, and do not turn away Your face from those who despair and suffer from the disease of drunkenness, but help them and us to be cleansed from all filth of sin, so that we may worthily and righteously sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
We see Thee as a light-receiving candle, O Most Holy Virgin, for Thy holy image with the rays of Thy grace drives away the darkness of sin and guides those who call Thee with faith on the bright path of virtues:
Rejoice, through Your intercession you deliver us from the vanity of this multi-rebellious world; Rejoice, you who help us ward off the battles of carnal passions.
Rejoice, you who put the thought of good in our hearts; Rejoice, enlightening our guilty conscience.
Rejoice, you who deliver those suffering from the painful illness of drunkenness; Rejoice, calling to sincere repentance and admonition.
Rejoice, softening the souls of all the embittered; Rejoice, for those who call upon You for help and those who glorify Your name, saving.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 12
The grace of God inherent in Your icon, called the “Inexhaustible Chalice,” draws to her, Lady, all the mourning, the destitute, widows and old women, and especially all those suffering from the disease of drunkenness, and they do not in vain depart, O Most Pure One, from the inexhaustible chalice of Your Divine gifts, but endlessly receiving healing from Your miraculous image, O All-Good One, we sing gratefully to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing Your miracles and great mercy to people possessed by the passion of drunkenness, revealed to You, we pray to You, Lady, save and have mercy, and guide us on the right path, and do not abandon us, who seek Your protection and call to You:
Rejoice, you who strive for abstinence from the sin of drunkenness of all; Rejoice, freeing me from addiction to wine with the dew of Your mercy.
Rejoice, constant healing for those suffering from the grave sin of drunkenness; Rejoice, quick Helper to those in need of passion.
Rejoice, wonderful encouragement to the faint-hearted; Rejoice, great is the joy of the complacent.
Rejoice, humbler of the proud; Rejoice, elevating the humble and desiring salvation for all.
Rejoice, Lady, Inexhaustible Chalice, quenching our spiritual thirst.
Kontakion 13
Oh, most merciful Mother of our Sweetest Lord Jesus Christ! Hear our present prayer and deliver us from all mental and physical ailments, especially the freedom of Your servants (names) who suffer from the disease of drunkenness, so that they may not perish in evil, but may those saved by You cry out to God forever: Alleluia.
Litany
Litany is the petition following the akathist to the Lord for certain people. It is read by a deacon or priest along with the choir. The text is compiled in church; it is not customary to read it at home after the akathist; this is a purely church petition. At the moment when the priest begins to read the litany, you should independently ask for your loved ones for their speedy recovery. Or the suffering person himself should ask the Lord as sincerely as possible to have mercy on him and deliver him from the sin of drinking wine.
How often can you read
It cannot be said that there are any restrictions when reading prayers. You can and should pray when your soul requires it. If we talk about prayers for neighbors, for example, for a husband or son who suffer from alcoholism, then it is best to pray for them precisely at the moment when the suffering person is most at risk of relapse and start drinking again.
At these moments, demons begin to overcome a person and he needs the help of his family, people who truly believe in the power of prayer and the mercy of God. But, on the other hand, prayer must be thoughtful and conscious.
If a wife or daughter feels that she does not have the strength at the moment to read an akathist or prayer service to the Inexhaustible Chalice or to one of the saints, then it is better to choose a short prayer and read it carefully, delving into the essence of the content, than to force yourself to read the rites, without being in the proper state of mind.
The insidious effects of alcohol. What kind of deception awaits?
Alcoholism affects various systems: nervous, cardiovascular, internal organs (primarily the liver, as well as the gastrointestinal tract, brain). When a person smokes, less harm is caused. This is due to the fact that alcohol changes the function of cells and destroys them. A drinker becomes dependent on alcoholic beverages. Ethanol, when it enters the body, is metabolized and undergoes a multi-stage process of transformation into poison. Ethanal is released first, followed by acetic acid.
In the final stages
acetyl-CoA is released.
From the point of view of the Orthodox religion, adherence to any passions more than love for God is a sin. A person suffering from drunkenness is unable to bear responsibility not only for his family members, but also for himself. He constantly needs protection, and the alcoholic drags his relatives living nearby with him to the “bottom” of life. People with addiction do not realize they need help. They do not seek help on their own. It is necessary to make a lot of effort to ensure that the words addressed to such people are heard, and the situation improves at least a little. As a result, the body, and soon the soul of the alcoholic, is destroyed.
Real examples of help
Healed and now believing Orthodox Christians, who previously arrived in a drunken stupor, often come to the temple to the holy image of the Mother of God, the Inexhaustible Chalice, to thank for Her mercy and efforts in prayer to the Lord for us sinners. Stories of miraculous healings wander from one temple to another, increasingly instilling faith and hope in people who are just embarking on the path of recovery from alcoholism.
According to the stories of one parishioner, who later became a deacon in the church, he was also at one time subject to the sin of drinking wine. He was young and married early. And after a few years of family life, he began to go out at night and drink with his then friends. This went on for 4 years. His condition was getting worse. He didn’t want to go to work, his wife and 2 daughters were exhausted with such a good-for-nothing father.
And then one day the Lord had mercy on this family. His wife, a believer, found out that there is a miraculous icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice, which helps people receive healing. She decided that every day in the evening, when the family went to bed, she would read an akathist to the Mother of God and ask her husband to be healed. The reaction was not long in coming. The future deacon was eventually kicked out of his job, and he had no choice but to start praying with his wife. Six months later, the man was completely cured of his illness, believed in God so much that he decided to continue his path as a Christian by serving in the church.
Another real story happened with a man who had nothing left: he drank all his property, he was not hired to work without documents, and, it would seem, his life should have ended on the street. But one rainy day he went into the temple to warm up and dry off. At the entrance there was an announcement that spoke of an upcoming pilgrimage to the monastery.
The man, without thinking twice, collected his last belongings and went with the group to the monastery, where he asked for shelter. The abbot firmly ordered him that if he was found drunk, he would have to leave the monastery. And he ordered me to come to the service every day and pray to the icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice. The next day he was overcome by such a strong desire to get drunk that in despair he fell to his knees in front of the icon and began to pray with all his strength. The brothers, seeing the man’s desire to be healed, organized a prayer service in honor of the holy image, after which this unfortunate man was completely healed. The Lord rewarded him for making his last choice in favor of his salvation.
Prayer for the passion of smoking to St. Ambrose of Optina
The main prayers against smoking are offered to the Venerable Ambrose of Optina, and it is called “Prayer against the passion of smoking to the Venerable Ambrose of Optina.” It was Ambrose who said this to help those who want to quit smoking:
You write that you cannot stop smoking tobacco. I advise you to use spiritual healing against this passion: confess in detail all your sins, from the age of seven, and for your entire life, and partake of the Holy Mysteries, and read the Gospel daily, standing, a chapter or more; and when melancholy strikes, then read again until the melancholy passes... Or instead, place 33 large bows in private, in memory of the earthly life of the Savior and in honor of the Holy Trinity.
