Church holiday on May 18: The Day of the Icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice: what is the shrine known for, who does it help

On May 18, the Orthodox Church honors the icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice, one of the most revered images in Russia, which is included in the list of miraculous icons of the Mother of God. It is believed that with its help you can get rid of drunkenness and many other addictions. In 2025, the celebration falls on a Sunday. Izvestia tells us what the shrine is known for and what they pray for on the holiday.

What is the famous icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice?

The history of the icon begins in the second half of the 19th century, when the miraculous image was discovered in the Vvedenskoye Vladychny Convent in Serpukhov near Moscow. The monastery was founded in 1360 by Metropolitan Alexy of Moscow. According to legend, the Mother of God herself ordered it to be built, appearing to the metropolitan in a dream. Soon the monastery was built, and its abbot was Alexy Varlaam (Reverend Varlaam Serpukhov), who was entrusted with choosing a place for construction.

Almost five hundred years later, a retired soldier from Tula province, suffering from drunkenness, arrived at the monastery. The man got drunk to such an extent that his legs almost gave out. He was forced to travel such a long way by a dream in which the first abbot of the monastery, Varlaam, appeared to him. The elder ordered them to go to the monastery in Serpukhov and ask them to serve a prayer service in front of the icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice. The soldier obeyed the vision and crawled off on the road.

After crossing two hundred kilometers, the drunkard found the monastery indicated. When he asked for a prayer service, it turned out that the monks had not heard anything about this image. But after learning about the dream, they nevertheless began searching for the mysterious icon. She was found in a dark corner of the corridor and identified by the inscription "Inexhaustible Bowl", which was printed on the back. Judging by the fact that the shrine was in the passage, it was not particularly valuable.

According to the instructions given by the holy elder, a moleben was served in the church. After that, the man got back on his feet and got rid of addiction. The news of the miracle quickly spread around the area. The icon immediately became revered and was now located in the main cathedral of the monastery. Then she got a precious iconostasis, which was commissioned by a Moscow merchant who got rid of a binge.

Later, a separate holiday was established in the church calendar, dedicated to the icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice. It coincides with the memorial day of St. Barlaam of Serpukhov, through whom the miraculous image was revealed to the faithful. The icon is also celebrated on December 10, when the shrine was found in a dark corridor of the monastery.

The Day of the Inexhaustible Chalice Icon in 2025 — iconography

The icon of the Mother of God "Inexhaustible Chalice" belongs to the iconographic type of Oranta, which means "Praying" in Latin. This type is characterized by the image of the Virgin with her arms outstretched in the traditional gesture of intercessory prayer. The prototype of the "Inexhaustible Chalice" is considered to be the early Byzantine icon "There was a Holy Table in Your Womb", better known as the Nicene Icon of the Mother of God. The image became famous in 304 during the siege of the city of Nicaea.

Both icons depict the Infant Jesus in a chalice in the center of the composition, which symbolizes a chalice, a vessel for communion. His gaze is turned towards the worshippers, and his hands are raised in a blessing gesture. The Virgin herself appears in rich clothes and with a crown on her head. The Queen of Heaven symbolizes the Orthodox Church, which is ready to receive all those who suffer into its bosom. Her figure seems to frame the Savior, indicating that everyone who prays to her calls directly to God.

Later, a new iconography appeared, related to the story of the miraculous finding of the shrine. Beginning in the 19th century, icons began to depict St. Barlaam of Serpukhov and the soldier he cured of drunkenness.

What is prayed for in front of the icon of the Mother of God "Inexhaustible Chalice"

On the day of the icon's commemoration, it is customary to attend church services and read the akathist to the Mother of God in front of Her icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice. It is advisable to pre-fast, confess and receive communion. After that, you can turn to the Mother of God with prayer. You can pray in your own words, or read specially composed texts or any known prayers.

They turn to the image in any need and with any trouble. They ask for healing from illnesses, consolation in sorrow, the establishment of harmony in the family, the return of husbands who have gone on a spree, and the guidance of children who embark on the path of independent life. But above all, the Inexhaustible Chalice helps in the fight against drunkenness and other harmful ailments.

It is believed that by praying in front of the icon, the Lord and the Mother of God help to quit smoking, use drugs, and even cope with gambling addiction. Ideally, the person suffering from addiction should pray for salvation. But his relatives can do it for him. You can also pray for other loved ones, given the fact that they often need help and support themselves.

Where is the icon of the Inexhaustible Chalice located now

The original of the icon has not been preserved to this day. The image, which became famous at the end of the 19th century, was lost after the revolution. With the coming of the Bolsheviks to power, the Vvedensky Vladychny Convent was closed. The icon, along with other church relics, was moved to Serpukhov Cathedral. A few years later, the main shrines of the monastery were burned on the banks of the Nara River.

The veneration of the amazing image resumed in the 1980s. Thanks to the preserved photographs and descriptions, it was possible to restore the original iconography. Several lists were made, before which prayer services began again. Two of them are located in Serpukhov — in the Vvedensky Monastery, from where the history of the icon "The Inexhaustible Chalice" begins, and the Vysotsky Monastery, which was founded in 1374 with the blessing of St. Sergius of Radonezh.

In addition, there are icons of the Inexhaustible Chalice in support groups for dependent people created in different cities. For the first time such communities appeared in Russia at the turn of the XIX–XX centuries. Today, they operate in almost every church. You can also buy a pendant or bracelet or an Inexhaustible Chalice for a person suffering from addiction and an icon for home prayers at any church store.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the celebration of the Izborsk Icon of the Mother of God and how this image became famous.