The History of the Icon of the Mother of God, The Inexhaustible Cup 18/5 May ( Glorified 1878 ), translation by Sister Dorofea
A peasant from the Efremovskii district of Tula province, a retired soldier, was an alcoholic, and a drunkard. He would drink away all his pension, everything that he possessed, anything that could be found in his house, and eventually he was ruined and literally became a beggar. From excessive drinking, his legs became paralysed, but still he continued drinking.
One day, the man, who seemed to have hit rock-bottom, had an unusual dream. In it a venerable old man came to him and said:
“Go to the city of Serpoukhov, to the monastery of the Mother of God. There you will find an icon of the Holy Mother called The Inexhaustible Cup. Have a moleben before it, and you will be healed, both spiritually and physically.”
Without a penny to his name, and having no use of his legs, the man did not dare to go on a journey. But the holy man came to him a second and then a third time, and was so adamant in his admonition to obey his instructions, that the poor drunk did not dare to disobey any more, and he set off as quickly as he could, dragging himself on all fours.
In one of the neighbouring villages where he stopped to rest, an old woman took him in for the night. To ease his pain, she massaged his legs, and put him to rest on top of the clay oven, a customary place for the old or sickly, because of the warmth. During the night the travelling man felt a pleasant sensation in his legs, and discovered that he was able to stand. On the following nights his legs became even stronger. And so, first with two walking-sticks, and then with just one, he arrived in Serpoukhov.
Once in the monastery, he told about his visions, and asked to have the moleben served. But nobody there had ever heard of such an icon. They started to search for it, and noticed one that was hanging in the passage to the sacristy, that bore an image of a chalice. On the back of it, to their surprise, was written “The Inexhaustible Cup”.
In the icon of St Varlaam, the disciple of the holy bishop Metropolitan Aleksii, the man immediately recognised the face of the holy elder who had appeared to him in his dreams.
From Serpoukhov the man departed, completely healed. The news about the miraculous icon spread quickly through the city, the region, and all of Rus’. Alcoholics ( those bound by the passion of drink ) and their families and friends, were coming to pray before the Mother of God for healing, and in time many came back to thank the all-merciful Theotokos for her speedy help.
Let it be known that this akathist service came to us in Canada in 1994, and we perceive that this is God’s will and from the compassion of the Mother of God. In these times there is the renewal of the Church’s life in the lands of Rus’, and the rediscovery of God’s mercy and tender care. This akathist has been rediscovered and is now frequently served, although the current service of which we have a photocopy was printed in only 4,000 copies. We pray that by offering these translations many souls in North America may be healed and saved.
KONTAK 1 [7]
A wonderful and marvellous healing has been given to us by your holy icon, O sovereign Lady and Mother of God. By its appearance we have been delivered from spiritual and physical ills, and from sorrowful circumstances. So we bring you our thankful praise, O all-merciful Protectress. O sovereign Lady, whom we call “The Inexhaustible Cup”: bend down your ear and mercifully hear our lamentation and tears that we bring to you, and give your healing to those who suffer from drunkenness, so that we may cry out to you with faith: “REJOICE, O INEXHAUSTIBLE CUP THAT QUENCHES OUR SPIRITUAL THIRST!”
IKOS 1
Angelic powers and multitudes of saints continually glorify you, the Mother of God, Queen of all, the intercessor for us sinful christians wallowing in lawlessness and remaining in sins. It is for our consolation and salvation that you in your mercy gave us your miraculous icon, so that looking upon it, as at the one and only star among a multitude of stars on a starlit night, we may prostrate ourselves, shouting from the very depths of our heart:
REJOICE, dwelling-place of the unapproachable God.
REJOICE, our constant wonder.
REJOICE, you make our sorrow wipe away our sins.
REJOICE, you make our grief heal our ills.
REJOICE, through your miraculous icon, you bring us your heavenly mercy.
REJOICE, O joy of our grieving heart.
REJOICE, our wonderful reconciliation with God.
REJOICE, O Sovering Lady, the Inexhaustible Cup that quenches our spiritual thirst!
