Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany, or Epiphany, on January 19. On this day, the Church remembers the gospel event - how the prophet John the Baptist baptized the Lord Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.
We will tell you about the history of the church holiday Epiphany 2019, when and how to swim in an ice hole in winter, traditions, signs and the meaning of the holiday.
When is the feast of the Epiphany
The Baptism of the Lord or, as it is also called, Holy Epiphany- one of the oldest Christian holidays, ending the Christmas holidays. In the evening, January 18, Epiphany Christmas Eve begins. For peasants who believe in Orthodoxy, the holiday of Epiphany is one of the 12 major religious holidays
This is the holiday when 30-year-old Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan. He substantiated one of the main church sacraments, through which a person is born again in Christ. Since then, those who are baptized receive forgiveness of sins and are reborn to a new, spiritual life.
Just like at Christmas, on Epiphany Eve the whole family gathers around the table. Only Lenten dishes are served. The feast of Epiphany occurs on January 19th.
Lines of believers flock to churches or reservoirs for holy water, to plunge into fonts or ice holes to wash away their sins.
On this day, even tap water is considered holy and is attributed to healing properties. Priests claim that one drop of baptismal water is enough to sanctify any amount of ordinary water.
Baptism, like any other religious holiday, is celebrated not only by believers. Many people on this day just go “for company” to swim in the ice hole, cover festive table and stock up on holy water.
And as usually happens, people bring to every religious holiday folk traditions. Various signs appear that people trust, and which they perform exactly as church ceremonies. All these traditions take root over time and become inseparable from each other.
What meaning does the church holiday of Epiphany carry?
The day of the Baptism of Jesus is considered the day when people learn the great mystery of God. It was at the moment of the Baptism of Christ that mere mortals witnessed the appearance of the Holy Trinity: the Father (God), the Son (Jesus) and the Spirit, who appeared in the form of a dove.
It turns out that Baptism symbolizes the beginning of the emergence of the Christian religion, the moment from which the worship of God, who ceased to be unknown, began. In the old days, Baptism was called the Holy Lights - this meant that the Lord descended to earth and revealed the Unapproachable Light to the world.
"Baptism" literally means "immersion in water." The wonderful properties of water were spelled out in the Old Testament - water washes away all the bad and gives rise to good things. Water can destroy or revive.
In pre-Christian times, washing was used for moral cleansing, and in the New Testament, baptism with water began to symbolize deliverance from sins and the birth of spiritual life. 
Epiphany - the history of the holiday
On January 19, the Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated. The history of the holiday begins with the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. During the sacrament of baptism, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven. In honor of the appearance of the Lord in the fullness of the Holy Trinity, the holiday is usually called the Holy Epiphany.
God the Father proclaimed words from heaven: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Son was baptized on earth, the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove. On this day, Jesus Christ began to serve people and preach. Since then, water has been considered a symbol of purification. The holiday is celebrated procession, V Christian churches, on rivers and lakes they perform the ceremony of blessing of water. It is believed that whoever plunges into Jordanian water three times in an ice hole will not get sick all year.
If we look back at Epiphany, the history of the feast of Epiphany - the baptism of the Lord - drew a fairly clear line between the Old and New Testaments. Ivan Chrysostom wrote: “The appearance of the Lord was not on the day he was born, but on the day he was baptized.” Baptism is perhaps the very first event in the public activity of Jesus Christ. It was after him that his first disciples joined Christ.
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Nowadays, the holiday of baptism in some places has acquired a pagan character. People who are far from the Orthodox religion treat holy water as a kind of amulet. Moreover, on Christmas Eve, instead of strictly fasting, they eat all sorts of food and drink alcoholic beverages, which is, in principle, unacceptable for an Orthodox Christian.
According to the words of the Apostle Paul: “The grace that God has given us, and communion with what is holy, must be carefully preserved for as long as possible so that we can continue to grow spiritually.”
Holy water taken for Baptism can be sprinkled on your home. Sprinkle your hands with a pinch, making cross-shaped movements, starting with right side from the entrance doors, moving clockwise.
How Orthodox Christians celebrate the Epiphany
The celebration of Epiphany (January 19) begins the day before - January 18. This day is called Epiphany Christmas Eve, as well as Hungry Kutya. By analogy with Christmas Eve, on the day before the feast of the Epiphany, strict fasting must be observed. Also on the eve of the feast of Epiphany, the Orthodox prepared Lenten kutya.
The festive dinner on Epiphany Eve was called “hungry kutya”. The obligatory dishes of this meal were kutia, pancakes, and oatmeal jelly.
Kutya, kolivo, kanun - a ritual funeral dish of the Slavs, porridge cooked from whole grains of wheat (barley, rice - Saracen millet or other cereals), poured with honey, honey syrup or sugar, with the addition of poppy seeds, raisins, nuts, milk or jam.
An important event of Epiphany and Epiphany is the blessing of water. On a river or lake, a cross-shaped hole called Jordan is cut out in advance in the ice. At midnight, priests bless the water in the wormwood, and believers take a bath in the consecrated water.
Swimming for Epiphany 2019 - when and how to do it right
People are not afraid of the cold, since bathing at Epiphany is a symbolic cleansing of sins, spiritual rebirth. Believers eagerly await the Feast of Epiphany, and when the Epiphany comes, Orthodox Christians are sure to attend church to remember the miraculous event that changed the world.
When swimming in an ice hole at Epiphany
On January 18, Orthodox believers celebrate Epiphany Eve, the eve of Epiphany, or Epiphany. The “great consecration of water” takes place in all churches. According to church canons, on Epiphany Eve a believer must come to church, stand for the service, light a candle, and draw blessed water.
But no one demands to plunge into ice water, especially if a person is not ready for this. An ice hole made for the blessing of water and bathing at Epiphany is also called a Jordan.
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There are no strict rules on how to swim (plunge) in the ice hole at Epiphany. As a rule, bathing involves immersing your head in water three times. At the same time, the believer is baptized and says “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit!”
In Rus', since ancient times, it has been believed that bathing at Epiphany promotes healing from various ailments.
Water is living matter. It has the ability to change its structure under the influence of a source of information. Therefore, with whatever thoughts you approach it, that’s what you will receive. To plunge into cold water, no special preparation is required. The human body is designed to experience frequent exposure to cold. All you need is the attitude.
What happens to the human body when it comes into contact with cold water? For example, when swimming in an ice hole in winter?
- By immersing your head in ice water, the water instantly awakens the central nervous part of the brain, and the brain heals the body.
- Short-term exposure to low and ultra-low temperatures is perceived by the body as positive stress: relieves inflammation, pain, swelling, spasm.
- Our body is enveloped in air, the thermal conductivity of which is 28 times less than the thermal conductivity of water. This is the trick of cold water hardening. And during a short run in the snow (for example, to an ice hole and back), only 10% of the body surface is cooled.
- Cold water releases the deep forces of the body; the body temperature after contact with it reaches 40º, at which viruses, microbes and diseased cells die.
Systematic winter swimming helps to improve the health of the body, but diving into an ice hole once a year is extremely stressful for the body.
How to swim in an ice hole correctly
You should plunge (swim) in specially equipped ice holes near the shore, preferably near rescue stations, under the supervision of lifeguards.
Such ice holes are specially equipped on rivers in big cities on the eve of the Epiphany Day for mass bathing of citizens. The population is informed about the location of such places through the media.
Before swimming in the ice hole, you need to warm up your body by warming up and jogging.
It is necessary to approach the ice hole in comfortable, non-slip and easily removable shoes to prevent loss of sensitivity in the feet. It is better to use boots or woolen socks to reach the ice hole. It is possible to use special rubber slippers, which also protect your feet from sharp stones and salt, and also prevent you from slipping on ice.
When going to the ice hole, remember that the path may be slippery. Walk slowly and carefully.
Make sure that the ladder for going into the water is stable. At the very least, to be on the safe side, it is necessary to lower the edge of a strong, thick rope with knots into the water so that swimmers can use it to get out of the water.
The opposite end of the rope must be securely fastened to the shore.
It is best to plunge up to your neck, without getting your head wet, in order to avoid a reflex narrowing of the blood vessels in the brain; Never dive into the hole head first. Jumping into water and immersing yourself in water are not recommended, as this increases the loss of temperature and can lead to shock from the cold.
When entering the water for the first time, try to quickly reach the desired depth, but do not swim.
remember, that cold water may cause completely normal, harmless rapid breathing. Once your body has adjusted to the cold.
Do not stay in the ice hole for more than 1 minute to avoid general hypothermia of the body.
When sinking to the bottom in a small hole, the danger also lies in the following. Not everyone knows how to descend vertically.
Many descend at an angle, moving towards the edge of the ice. At a depth of 4 m, the displacement from the starting point can reach 1 - 1.5 m. When ascending with your eyes closed in a small ice hole, you can “miss” and hit your head on the ice.
If you have a child with you, fly after him as he dives into the hole. A frightened child can easily forget that he can swim.
Getting out of the hole is not so easy. When exiting, do not hold the handrails directly, use dry towel, a handful of snow from the edge of the ice hole, you can scoop up more water into handfuls and, leaning on the handrails, rise quickly and energetically.
After bathing (dipping), dry yourself and your child with a terry towel and put on dry clothes.
To strengthen the immune system and the possibility of hypothermia, you need to drink hot tea, preferably from berries, fruits and vegetables from a pre-prepared thermos.
Contraindications to swimming in an ice hole
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Winter swimming is contraindicated for people with the following acute and chronic (in the acute stage) diseases:
- inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx, paranasal cavities, otitis;
- cordially- vascular system(congenital and acquired heart valve defects, ischemic disease hearts with
- attacks of angina pectoris; previous myocardial infarction, coronary-cardiosclerosis, hypertension stages II and III);
- central nervous system(epilepsy, consequences of severe skull injuries; cerebral vascular sclerosis in
- expressed stage, syringomyelia; encephalitis, arachnoiditis);
- peripheral nervous system (neuritis, polyneuritis);
- endocrine system ( diabetes, thyrotoxicosis);
- organs of vision (glaucoma, conjunctivitis);
- respiratory organs (pulmonary tuberculosis - active and in the stage of complications, pneumonia, bronchial asthma, emphysema);
- genitourinary system (nephritis, cystitis, inflammation of the appendages, inflammation of the prostate gland);
- gastrointestinal tract ( peptic ulcer stomach, enterocolitis, cholecystitis, hepatitis);
- skin and venereal diseases.
What is needed for swimming in an ice hole on Epiphany?
- towel and terry robe, a set of dry clothes;
- swimming trunks or swimsuit, optional underwear;
- slippers, so as not to injure your feet, just so that they do not slip when walking on ice, woolen socks are better, you can swim in them, boots;
- rubber cap; willpower and desire!
Video: Epiphany of the Lord - signs and superstitions January 19
Bathing in the wood is an ancient ritual that many people in our country perform every year. Soon you will be able to join the favorite Russian tradition, and from this article you will learn when is the best time to do so.
Even though the New Year celebrations are over, the series of holidays is not over yet. According to tradition, on January 19, believers celebrate the great Orthodox holiday of the Epiphany. There are many traditions and rituals associated with this day, and the most popular of them is swimming in an ice hole. Every year, thousands of people take a bath in blessed water to ensure their health and cleanse their souls of sins. We invite you to find out when is the best time to perform the ritual of bathing on Epiphany.
Swimming in an ice hole January 19, 2018
The Baptism of the Lord is one of the most revered Orthodox events. Over time, this holiday acquired many traditions, and one of them was swimming in the wood. Everyone who decides to perform this ritual is simply obliged to know about its features so as not to harm their health.
Before the consecration of water, a hole called a Jordan is cut through the ice. It received this name in honor of the river in which the Son of God was once baptized. After this, the clergyman lowers the crucifix into the water and says a prayer. A person who decides to perform the ritual of ablution must plunge his head into the ice hole three times, but before doing this he must pray.
It is believed that with the help of Epiphany water you can get rid of ailments and sins. However, this ritual is not performed by all believers, because not everyone can expose their health to such a risk.
When is the best time to swim in an ice hole at Epiphany?
When to swim in an ice hole on Epiphany - on the eve of the holiday or on the day of the event itself? This question worries many people who want to swim in an ice hole. It is believed that on the evening of January 18, it is best to visit the church, pray and take holy water home.
At the end of the evening service, on the night of January 19, everyone can plunge into the already blessed water. The most suitable time period for this is considered to be the period from 00:00 to 01:30. According to legends, it was at this time that water acquires strong healing properties, which have repeatedly helped people get rid of diseases.
If for some reason you do not have the opportunity to perform the bathing ritual at night, then you can do it in the morning, afternoon or evening of January 19th. If, due to your health condition, you do not have the opportunity to plunge into ice water in mid-January, then simply wash your face with Epiphany water collected in an ice hole.
After bathing, do not forget to say a prayer again so that the ritual will benefit not only your body, but also your soul. Our ancestors attached special significance to such great Orthodox events as the Baptism of the Lord. Despite the fact that this holiday is of a religious nature, there are many things associated with it. folk signs, which people previously preferred to believe.
Based on materials - dailyhoro.ru
Photo - taday.ru
The ancient and revered holiday of the Epiphany by all Christians is becoming one of the most anticipated events in everything church year. Everyone who has ever heard of this holiday knows about this holiday. Orthodox faith, which is why it is not surprising that even in modern world people continue to adhere to strict canons for celebrating this wonderful day.
What date will Epiphany be in 2018?
Baptism is popularly called Epiphany and is celebrated annually January 19, in 2018 this date falls on Friday. In Russia, this event is not considered a non-working day, although it is an official holiday.
history of the holiday
This has been celebrated exactly since Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan River more than 2000 years ago. It is believed that after baptism itself, the holy spirit descended from heaven in the form of a white dove. Everyone heard the voice of God, which said: “You are My Beloved Son; I am well pleased with you!” Starting from this day, Jesus began his earthly mission, which ended, as everyone knows, with the resurrection, which became the progenitor. After baptism, Jesus Christ went into the desert, where he stayed for 40 days and nights, preparing himself to fulfill his sacred duty.
Swimming in an ice hole on Epiphany 2018
Over time, the holiday of the Epiphany has acquired a huge number of traditions that are sacredly revered by people to this day. Perhaps the most significant of them is ritual of swimming in an ice hole, the features of which should be known to everyone who wants to perform this action.
Before swimming, a hole is cut in the ice, which is usually called the Jordan in honor of the river in which Jesus was baptized. The priest dips the crucifix into the water and reads a prayer, thereby consecrating this place for further ritual. You should plunge headlong three times, after which it is customary to read a prayer and get out of the water. 
It would seem, why expose your body to such stress on days when the Russian winter is especially fierce? However, swimming in an ice hole on Epiphany is an ancient and wise tradition. It is believed that on this day, water in natural sources becomes special properties: after swimming in such water not only diseases, illnesses, evil eyes, but also sins are washed away, of which a lot could have accumulated by this moment...
How to swim correctly on January 19, 2018
1. People with diseases of the heart, nervous and vascular systems, as well as pregnant women and children are prohibited from entering the water. This applies especially to the latter, because in childhood The process of thermoregulation has not yet been formed, which is why the child’s body is at risk of serious complications.
2. Swimming while drunk - because it is life-threatening!
3. Before diving, you should eat a hearty meal, but do not overeat, and then drink hot tea.
If you adhere to all the rules, then this procedure for the Baptism of the Lord will definitely have a beneficial effect on your well-being: both physically and spiritually.
When can you collect Epiphany water?
Of course, not everyone will be able to plunge into the ice hole on January 19, 2018, but at the same time, each of us will be able to collect a holy Epiphany water, and how, where and when it is best to collect Epiphany water, we will tell you further. 
It should be noted that the blessing of water in churches occurs on January 18th. on Epiphany Eve (after the Divine Liturgy), and on the feast of the Epiphany itself. On these two days you can collect Epiphany holy water, and there is no difference when you collect it in the temple - January 18 or 19.
If you decide to draw water from the tap, then, accordingly, the best period for this will be the period of time from 00:10 to 01:30, which falls on the night of January 18th to 19th, and the water You can also dial later, throughout the 19th (before 24:00).
Also see: Lent, and how to eat right these days.
Every Orthodox man must know what date baptism is celebrated. Every year on January 19th Christian people celebrate great holiday Baptism of Jesus Christ. The date of this day remains unchanged in 2019. As for time, the date is different all the time.
- Water lighting
- Other traditions
- Diving into the ice hole
Water lighting
On the eve of the holiday, on the evening of January 18, services begin in churches. If you want to follow Orthodox traditions and feel all the grace happy holiday, then you should definitely go to the service. The service begins in the evening and continues into the morning. After the end of the liturgy, the rite of blessing of water begins.After this ritual, each parishioner can draw holy healing water. You don’t need to take as much liquid as possible, just take a small bottle with you, fill it, and when you get home, dilute it with regular tap water with illuminated water.
It is known that water can be charged with the energy surrounding it, so when holy water is added to ordinary water, its properties are not lost. Many researchers confirm the fact that on the night of January 18-19, the structure of water becomes more ordered. In churches, water lighting takes place not only on the eve of the holiday, but also on the day of baptism, so you can come for holy water on the 19th.
Other traditions
In addition to illuminating water, which can and should be used for ingestion and cooking, water bodies are also illuminated. There is a tradition: on the day of baptism, plunge into a pond. Since the holiday takes place in winter time, an ice hole in the form of a cross is cut in the reservoirs frozen from the cold, and, at the end of the service, the priest goes outside to consecrate the bathhouse. You only need to take a dip in a consecrated bath, otherwise the ritual will lose its meaning.The priest reads a prayer over the pond, and then dips his cross into it three times. After this procedure, everyone can take turns bathing. The church does not force one to perform this ritual; it is a purely personal matter for each parishioner. Those who are not ready to plunge into a body of water in winter can simply wash their face with water from a consecrated source.
It is believed that after bathing on the day of baptism, a person’s soul gets rid of sins and is cleansed of everything bad and painful. Those who perform this ritual every year say that after bathing they feel reborn, a lightness appears inside, as if the holy water really took away everything bad.
Diving into the ice hole
Many people decide to plunge into the ice hole to test their fortitude. But, having decided on this feat, you should take into account that the day of baptism is famous for its frosts. No wonder people say: “Epiphany frosts will come soon.” There is also a belief that if a person gets sick after swimming, it means he has a lot of sins that “come out” along with the illness.
If you want to perform the ritual of swimming in an ice hole, then you should find out in advance when and at what time you should plunge into the ice hole. In most temples, ponds are illuminated on the morning of January 19, only after which you can start swimming.
On the day of baptism in 2019, you can also swim on the night of January 18-19. Many churches complete services by midnight, and then the entire parish goes to a pre-cut ice hole to illuminate the source and begin performing the ritual. Extreme caution should be exercised when swimming at night; the area must be illuminated. There is also a risk of slipping and falling on ice, so it is better to bring slippers with slip-resistant soles.
Typically, the baths are open until 4am and then reopen on January 19th at daytime from 1 pm to 6 pm.
In each temple, the service begins at a different time, therefore, before the holiday, you should check with the rector of the temple where you are planning to go, at what time they begin the service. As a rule, the service begins around 23:00 on January 18, but in order not to miss anything important, it is better to check the time. WITH full list Orthodox holidays and posts can be found in ours.
Of course, believing in the Baptism of the Lord in 2019 is a personal matter. However, I would like to note that it is not for nothing that such a day is passed down from generation to generation. Moreover, all traditions and rituals of the Orthodox people are observed.
Healing water, which is collected precisely during this period of time, is capable of healing people from many insidious and difficult ailments that have tormented them for many years. Since ancient times, people began to collect and baptize water. Of course, such a ritual is performed by the “Father” himself, who at the same time reads a prayer.
Baptism in 2019 is carried out exactly the same as in previous years and has its own traditions. For example, many people know that before such an important holiday, the owners of the house draw over entrance doors And window frames crosses, which in turn protect housing from evil, evil spirits.
Also, the Epiphany frost is not an obstacle to going at midnight for healing water, which is collected from reservoirs, rivers or ice holes. Although today the Russian people prefer to collect such water at the church, truly believing in its miraculous power. People gather for the service, after which healing liquid is collected into small containers.
Baptism is an important holiday in the lives of many people. That is why some of them follow traditions. For example, it is believed that during this time you should not borrow anything, especially money. Because otherwise a person will be in need for a whole year.
In Russia, many Orthodox believers honor the traditions of their people, so on such an important day they do not take anything out of the house. It is believed that in this way they will bring happiness and prosperity, but counting “goods” or money, on the contrary, will help increase capital in the future.
When the Baptism of the Lord will be known, it is also necessary to know that on this day you cannot swear and argue, otherwise the deeds done will lead to trouble. Also, the house is not swept out when family members leave on this day, otherwise the person may not return back.
According to Christian traditions, a person baptized on such a day will live a long and happy life. Therefore, many parents try to baptize their babies on the Epiphany of the Lord. Good deeds done at this time promise prosperity and further profit.
Epiphany 2019, what date is of interest to many, because everyone wants to rid their home of negativity and evil forces. After all, theophany, according to legend, happened from above, so people sincerely believe in the miraculous powers of the Lord.
As you know, on Epiphany, many people, wanting to cleanse their body and soul, dive into an ice hole. Of course, in summer period there would be more people willing. However, “Epiphany Frosts” do not scare off believers with their severity. Moreover, it is believed that if after this a person gets sick, it is only to get rid of the evil spirits that have settled in his body, and along with the illness, the evil spirit will leave the body of this person.
There are many different traditions of the Russian people, but the most important one is that it is during the period of Epiphany that it is necessary to take holy water and sprinkle all the corners in the house. It is not necessary to take a lot of liquid; you can take a little and dilute it with ordinary tap water. This way, you will get as much liquid as you need.
On January 19, Christians around the world celebrate a great holiday - the Epiphany of the Lord. Catholics also have this celebration, only it is timed to different days. Before the adoption of the reform (the Second Vatican Council), Epiphany was celebrated on January 13, after it - on the first Sunday after the sacrament of Epiphany.
In all these traditions, the feast of the Epiphany is associated with the New Testament, namely with the moment in which the baptism of Jesus Christ is described. This happened after Jesus had already reached adulthood. The ceremony took place on the sacred Jordan River, where all Christians were baptized at that time. The son of the Lord was baptized by the faithful Christian and famous baptist John.
The uniqueness of this sacrament is expressed in the special phenomena accompanying it. During Jesus' baptism, a snow-white dove descended from heaven onto him. In this image, the spirit of God appeared before people, at the same time testifying that Jesus is His Son.
Is it necessary to dive into an ice hole for Epiphany?
The Holy Fathers of the Church are unanimous on this issue: it is not necessary for Baptism, that is, it is not necessary to immerse yourself in water. Every Christian, as a child or as an adult, receives the sacrament of baptism by plunging into the church font. One single immersion is quite enough to testify that one belongs to the Lord.
If a person plunges into an ice hole at the Baptism of the Lord, he in no way washes away his sins and, of course, does not get baptized again. Previously, they didn’t do this in Rus' at all, and the church doesn’t require it. Much more important is that during this holiday all water is blessed, including in rivers. This deeply symbolic gesture reminds people of the great essence of God: the Lord is everywhere, in the heights of heaven and in the depths of the seas, filling the entire Universe.
For each person individually on this day, it is much more important to go to church service, and most importantly, to think about the meaning of the great holiday for all Christians and for oneself personally. Like any Christian holiday, Epiphany appeals more to the spirit than to the body, so bathing in ice water itself has no significance for spiritual cleansing.
On the other side, Orthodox Church has nothing against this relatively young tradition. It hardens and strengthens the body’s immune forces, which means it is beneficial and not harmful. But you shouldn’t sacrifice your health, wanting to “achieve spiritual cleansing” by swimming in an ice hole. If a person is sick, has a fever or some other not entirely healthy condition, you should not plunge into ice water at all. This will only bring a new illness, but will not contribute in any way to internal cleansing.
Harm from Epiphany bathing
Despite the generally loyal attitude of the church to this newfangled trend, the tradition of plunging into an ice hole at Epiphany has negative sides. Many people first actively participate in all sorts of pagan games (telling fortunes on Christmas Eve or dressing up as animals and going from house to house singing and dancing), and after that, with one swim in an ice hole, they want to not only remove all their sins, but also receive some special blessing. This is a great delusion and sin from the point of view of Orthodoxy.
Archpriest Konstantin Ostrovsky (Krasnogorsk) condemns this fashionable fad. He explains that all water consecrated at Epiphany brings grace. You can drink even a drop of it to join the entire celebrating Christian world. Anyone who thinks that by plunging into icy river water will receive greater blessings is deeply naive. In this way, he even to some extent falls into the sin of pride.
Moreover, the very reduction of the deep meaning of the Baptism of the Lord to the mere immersion in a hole cut in the ice is something pagan. This is especially harmful if a person goes home after swimming, sits down at the festive table and drinks vodka. This is real paganism, reducing the high significance of the holiday only to narrow external attributes. At Baptism, one is supposed to open one’s soul to the Lord and be filled with awe of His greatness, and not to demonstrate one’s own piety to others.
