Icons of the Mother of God

The Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup"

Icon of the Mother of God 'The Inexhaustible Cup' (Inexhaustible Chalice)

Εικόνα της Θεοτόκου «Το Ανεξάντλητο Ποτήριο» · Ꙇкѡ́на Бж҃їѧ Ма́тере «Неѹпива́емаѧ Ча́ша» · Икона Божией Матери «Неупиваемая Чаша»

The Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup" is remembered on 5 May (18 May on the Old Calendar). Orthodox Christians pray to the Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup" for deliverance from the passion of drunkenness, for oneself and for loved ones, deliverance from drug addiction and other addictions and deliverance from smoking.

Feast days

Feast: Feast of the icon (revealed at Serpukhov, 1878)
Kept on: 5 May (18 May on the Old Calendar)
Next, New Calendar: 5 May 2027
Next, Old Calendar: 18 May 2027

The New Calendar is kept by the Greek, Antiochian, Romanian and Bulgarian churches, the OCA and most converts; the Old Calendar by the Russian, Serbian and Georgian churches, Jerusalem and Mount Athos, 13 days later on the civil calendar.

The story of the icon

The Inexhaustible Cup icon shows the Mother of God with hands raised in prayer and the Christ Child standing in the Communion chalice, an inexhaustible source of spiritual joy and consolation. In 1878 a retired soldier in Tula province had drunk away everything he owned, and his legs were paralyzed by alcohol. An elder appeared to him in a dream and told him to go to the Vladychny Convent of the Mother of God in Serpukhov and have a moleben served before her icon "The Inexhaustible Cup." Penniless and lame, he did not go until the elder came a third time; then he set out crawling, gradually regained his strength, found the forgotten icon, and returned home healed. Since then the icon has become the chief refuge of Russian Orthodox Christians who pray for those enslaved to drink and every other addiction, and for the families who suffer with them.

What the faithful ask of the Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup"

The faithful pray for

deliverance from the passion of drunkenness, for oneself and for loved ones
deliverance from drug addiction and other addictions
deliverance from smoking
the healing of a husband, son or father who drinks
the courage to begin a sober life
consolation for families of those who suffer from addiction

The Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup" protects

from alcoholism and drunkenness
from drug addiction
families from the ruin caused by addiction
from despair

Miracles

In 1878 a retired soldier of Tula province, paralyzed in the legs from drink, was told three times in a dream by an elder to go to the Vladychny Convent in Serpukhov and serve a moleben before the 'Inexhaustible Cup'; he did, and was healed.
Source: OCA — Inexhaustible Chalice Icon of the Mother of God

Where the traditions differ

This is a Russian icon; Greeks know it mainly through Russian copies. Its feast is 5 May Julian = 18 May civil (verified on the OCA calendar). The original Serpukhov icon was lost after the Revolution; the Vysotsky Monastery in Serpukhov now keeps a revered copy, and many sobriety societies make pilgrimages there on 18 May.

the Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup" in our shop

We don't carry an icon of the Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup" yet. Ask for it below, and we will write to you when it is ready.

Until then, the closest we carry

Have it consecrated by our priest before it reaches you — Consecration, $49.

Ask our priest

Our priest can serve a moleben to the Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup" for the people and the need you name.

Prayer services

Prayed to for

Addiction and alcoholism

Questions

When is the feast day of the Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup"?

Feast of the icon (revealed at Serpukhov, 1878): 5 May (18 May on the Old Calendar).

What do Orthodox Christians pray to the Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup" for?

Orthodox Christians pray to the Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup" for deliverance from the passion of drunkenness, for oneself and for loved ones, deliverance from drug addiction and other addictions, deliverance from smoking, the healing of a husband, son or father who drinks, the courage to begin a sober life and consolation for families of those who suffer from addiction.

What does the Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup" protect from?

The Mother of God "the Inexhaustible Cup" protects from alcoholism and drunkenness, from drug addiction, families from the ruin caused by addiction and from despair.

Sources

OCA — Inexhaustible Chalice Icon of the Mother of God (read 14 October 2026)
Azbuka trezvosti — «Неупиваемая Чаша»: как молиться о пьющем близком (read 14 October 2026)
Wikipedia — Inexhaustible Chalice (read 14 October 2026)