More than 80 parishioners of Orthodox churches in the Vitebsk diocese took a vow of sobriety
More than 80 parishioners of the Orthodox churches of the Vitebsk diocese have completely renounced alcohol and taken a vow of sobriety, Vitaly Vinokurov, chairman of the Vitebsk diocesan brotherhood "Sobriety" in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "The Inexhaustible Cup," told a BELTA correspondent.
A vow of sobriety is one of the most effective forms of church practice in combating alcoholism, which proved itself well before the October Revolution and is actively being revived in the church environment today. The essence of the vow is that a person, recognizing the inadequacy of their own strength to resist the sinful passion of wine drinking, asks God for help and gracious protection in the fight against this vice. Before taking the vow, a preparatory period is determined, which concludes with the service of a special prayer service with a promise not to consume a drop of alcohol under any circumstances and not to tempt others to do so for a specified period.
Vows of sobriety are taken not only by those suffering themselves but also by their relatives who do not have an addiction. They understand the spiritual connection between family members and wish to help their loved ones resist temptation. All those who have taken the vow have the opportunity to become members of the diocesan brotherhood "Sobriety," established at the Holy George Church. On Saturdays, a water-blessing prayer service with an akathist to the icon of the Mother of God "The Inexhaustible Cup" is held here. The church also systematically holds training sessions for those wishing to get rid of alcohol, tobacco, and gambling addictions. A special training cycle is conducted for relatives of those suffering, so-called codependents.
The Diocesan Brotherhood of Sobriety named after the Icon of the Mother of God "Unfailing Cup" joined the All-Russian Orthodox Brotherhood "Trezvenie" in 2009 and actively participates in its work. On the initiative of the brotherhood, on December 13, the conference "Happiness of the People in Sobriety" will be held in Vitebsk, organized by the Vitebsk Diocese in conjunction with the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee. Figures from secular and church sobriety movements from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus have been invited to participate in the conference as speakers. There is a developed effective experience that can be adapted to the conditions of Belarus, believes Vitaly Vinokurov. It is expected that based on the results of the conference, representatives of authorities, doctors, teachers, business representatives, and priests will develop a joint plan of concrete actions for sobriety education.