December 6, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. Over 80 parishioners of the Orthodox churches of the Vitebsk Diocese have completely renounced alcohol and taken vows of sobriety, Vitaly Vinokurov, chairman of the Vitebsk Diocesan Brotherhood "Trezvenie" (Sobriety) in honour of the icon of the Mother of God "Unfailing 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 positively before the October Revolution and is actively being revived in the church environment today. The essence of the vow is that a person, acknowledging the inadequacy of their own strength to resist the sinful passion of drinking, asks God for help and grace protection in the fight against this vice. A preparatory period is determined before taking the vow, which concludes with the service of a special prayer service with a promise not to consume a single 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 the 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 "Trezvenie", established at the Holy George Church. On Saturdays, a water-blessing prayer service with an akathist to the icon of the Mother of God "Unfailing 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 held for relatives of the suffering, so-called co-dependents. In 2009, the Diocesan Brotherhood of Sobriety in the name of the icon of the Mother of God "Unfailing Cup" became part of the All-Russian Orthodox Brotherhood "Trezvenie" and actively participates in its work. On the initiative of the brotherhood, on December 13, a conference "Happiness of the People is in Sobriety" will be held in Vitebsk, organised by the Vitebsk Diocese in conjunction with the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee. Figures from the secular and church sobriety movement from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus have been invited to participate in the conference as speakers. There is a well-established effective experience that can be adapted to the conditions of Belarus, believes Vitaly Vinokurov. It is expected that, based on the conference results, representatives of government bodies, doctors, teachers, business representatives, and priests will develop a joint plan of concrete actions for sobriety education.-0-