When do they dive into the ice hole for Epiphany? Dipped? Forget about social networks! Or what should not be done on the feast of Epiphany.

The tradition of plunging into an ice hole on the occasion of Epiphany has been known since ancient times. It is believed that ablution Epiphany water helps cleanse from sins and improve health, and also strengthens the body and soul.

Epiphany is one of the most important Christian holidays. It is enduring and is celebrated annually on January 19th. According to legend, it was on this day that the Savior appeared to John with a request to baptize him. During the sacrament, the Holy Spirit descended on Christ in the form of a dove, and the voice of God was heard from heaven, proclaiming the divine origin of the Savior. It was after Baptism that Jesus began to preach among people, bringing them the light of Christian teaching.

How to swim properly at Epiphany

Swimming in an ice hole symbolically reproduces the washing of Christ in the waters of the Jordan River. That is why believers annually plunge into the consecrated wormwood. It is believed that water on this day acquires special properties, helps to recover from spiritual and physical ailments, improve well-being and find inner harmony.

The Church considers swimming in an ice hole optional and dependent solely on a person’s desire, insisting that the main thing for believers is understanding the essence of the holiday and attending services. Therefore, the decision to plunge into wormwood should be thoughtful and balanced: you should not do it “for company” or in order to support a tradition, because in this case the ritual will not make any sense.

There are no established rules for washing in an ice hole, but traditionally Christians immerse themselves in the ice hole three times, making the sign of the cross and saying: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

The clergy warn that under no circumstances should you risk your health: for people with weakened immune systems or chronic diseases, it is better to choose a more gentle method. It is enough to simply rinse your face with Epiphany water - the essence of the ritual will not change.

When to swim in an ice hole in 2017

Church services dedicated to the feast of Epiphany begin the day before - January 18. At the same time, “Jordans” are cut down in reservoirs - cross-shaped holes, named by analogy with the Jordan River, in which the Savior was baptized. After the evening service, the priests perform the rite of blessing of water. From this moment on, you can plunge into the ice hole, but most bathing takes place not in the evening, but on the night of January 18-19, as well as throughout the day on January 19.

The clergy say that before bathing you should attend a church service - otherwise swimming in an ice hole will be nothing more than hardening the body. It is very important to do godly deeds, to show attention and love to your neighbors - after all, this is precisely the goal of every true Christian. We wish you happiness and prosperity, and do not forget to click on the buttons and

15.01.2017 05:10

The traditions of this holiday go back far to the time of Jesus Christ. Everything people do...

Every year the Orthodox Christian world celebrates one of the most important holidays - the Epiphany. In that...

With the Baptism of Rus' (in 988), it gradually spread among our ancestors. The blessing of water can only be performed by a priest - by reading the appropriate prayers and immersing the cross in water three times. On reservoirs, for this purpose, an ice hole is made in advance - “Jordan” - usually in the shape of a cross. Usually bodies of water - ponds, rivers, lakes - are consecrated on the feast of Epiphany itself, after the liturgy. Epiphany water is a shrine that is used for healing and to strengthen the mental and physical strength of us and our loved ones.

From some churches and on Epiphany Eve after the service, solemn processions are made to the ice holes in the reservoirs, they are blessed. Orthodox Christians scoop up holy water from this ice hole, wash themselves with it, and the bravest “dive” into the ice hole. The Russian tradition of swimming in ice holes dates back to the times of the ancient Scythians, who dipped their babies into icy water, accustoming them to the harsh nature.

When swimming in ice hole for 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.

In large Russian cities, on the eve of the Feast of Epiphany, rivers are specially cut down and ice holes are equipped for mass bathing of believers. What the population of these cities is informed about in the media.

There are no strict rules on how to swim (plunge) in the ice hole at Epiphany. Bathing is triple immersion headfirst into the water. 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 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?
1. Immersing your head in ice water, the water instantly awakens the central nervous part of the brain, and the brain heals the body.
2.Short-term exposure to low and ultra-low temperatures is perceived by the body as positive stress: it relieves inflammation, pain, swelling, spasm.
3. 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.
4. 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.
Rules for swimming in an ice hole for Epiphany

• 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 lowering to the bottom in a small ice hole, the danger also consists of 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 the ice fish’s head. 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 directly hold the handrails, use a dry towel, a handful of snow from the edge of the ice hole, you can scoop up handfuls more water and leaning on the handrails, quickly and energetically rise.

• Climbing out in a vertical position is difficult and dangerous.

• If you fall off, you can go under the ice. Insurance and mutual assistance are required.
• After bathing (dipping), rub yourself and your baby 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:
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;
- of cardio-vascular system(congenital and acquired heart valve defects, coronary heart disease with angina attacks; previous myocardial infarction, coronary-cardiosclerosis, hypertonic disease Stages II and III);
- central nervous system(epilepsy, consequences of severe skull injuries; cerebral vascular sclerosis in an advanced 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, eczema).

Answering the question about when to bathe on Epiphany on January 18 or 19, we can safely say that both dates are suitable. Only on January 18 - Epiphany Christmas Eve, you can plunge into the ice hole only after the evening service. As for January 19, the day of Epiphany itself, you can plunge into the ice hole throughout the day.

So, swimming in the ice hole for Epiphany begins on Christmas Eve, January 18th. In the evening, believers go to church for a festive service. After it, the water is blessed, as well as the ice holes. As a rule, this action takes place closer to midnight, and after that you can swim in the ice hole.

From our ancestors

Despite the fact that swimming in an ice hole on Epiphany is not a mandatory church ritual, many believers try to strictly observe this custom. It is quite ancient; in villages, on the eve of Epiphany, an ice hole in the shape of a cross was often cut down.

There are no special rules for swimming in an ice hole on Epiphany. But there are also traditions here. You need to plunge headlong into the ice hole three times. After each time, cross yourself and say: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Consecration of the ice hole

Now you know exactly when to swim in the ice hole on Epiphany - this can be done after the evening service on Christmas Eve on January 18. All night from January 18 to 19, as well as the entire day of Epiphany and even several days after the holiday. Water collected on this day in a consecrated ice hole or simply in church vessels retains its healing properties and for the whole year and even longer.

After the end of the service, the priest goes to an ice hole near the church. An ice hole in the shape of a cross has already been cut there. Moreover, the cross itself, made of ice, according to an already established tradition, is placed next to it and watered with kvass or beet juice. The priest reads prayers over the water, and then lowers a silver cross into the water. From this moment on, the ice hole is considered sacred and you can swim in it. Of course, after the service, the priests do not have time to go around all the ice holes, therefore, the blessing of water continues the next day.

What to do with blessed water

From the moment the priest illuminated the water, it is no longer just a liquid, but an important shrine. It must be treated with caution and attention. Blessed Epiphany water is charged with strong energy, which provides it with healing properties.

In the morning, on the day of Epiphany, you need to pray and then drink a few spoons of holy water. On critical days, women should not drink holy water, with the exception of periods of illness. In general, since Epiphany water has strong energy, you do not need to drink it every day. But during periods of weakened condition or illness, you need to drink this water. You can store holy water from Epiphany in a glass vessel next to the icons.

The first thing, when a person comes from church with Epiphany water, is to consecrate his apartment. To do this, all corners of the home are sprinkled in the shape of a cross. It is believed that such a ritual will help protect the house. You can also wash yourself with holy water and let all your loved ones do this.

Bath instead of an ice hole

If you don’t want to risk your health and swim in an open ice hole, then you can set up a font in your bathroom with holy water brought from the church. You need to fill the bathroom with cold water and pour out a glass of blessed water. After this, read the prayer three times, hit yourself on the chest three times with your fist. Next, get into the bath and plunge your head three times, saying: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen". After this, every family member who wishes can bathe in the same home font.

When to swim on Epiphany - January 18 or 19- this question is asked very often on the days of Epiphany and Epiphany.

The most important thing you need to know about the Baptism of the Lord is not when to swim (it is not at all necessary to plunge into an ice hole on this day), but that on this day the Lord Jesus Christ himself was baptized. Therefore, on January 18 in the evening and January 19 in the morning, it is important to be in church for the service, confess, take communion and take holy water, the great agiasma.

They bathe, according to tradition, after the evening service on January 18 and on the night of January 18-19. Access to the fonts is usually open on January 19 throughout the day.

Common questions about bathing at Epiphany

Is it necessary to swim in an ice hole at Epiphany?

Is it necessary to swim at Epiphany? And if there is no frost, will bathing be Epiphany?

In any church holiday, it is necessary to distinguish between its meaning and the traditions that have developed around it. The main thing in the feast of the Epiphany is the Epiphany, the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist, the voice of God the Father from heaven “This is my beloved Son” and the Holy Spirit descending on Christ. The main thing for a Christian on this day is presence at a church service, confession and Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, communion Epiphany water.

The established traditions of swimming in cold ice holes are not directly related to the Feast of the Epiphany itself, are not mandatory and, most importantly, do not cleanse a person of sins, which, unfortunately, is discussed a lot in the media.

Such traditions should not be treated as magical rites- The holiday of Epiphany is celebrated by Orthodox Christians in hot Africa, America, and Australia. After all, the palm branches of the feast of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem were replaced by willows in Russia, and the consecration of grapevines on the Transfiguration of the Lord was replaced by the blessing of the apple harvest. Also, on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord, all waters will be sanctified, regardless of their temperature.

Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev

Jordan is not a Pool of Sheep (see John 5:1-4), and must be approached with caution

Archpriest Sergius Vogulkin, rector of the temple in the name of the icon Mother of God“Vsetsaritsa” of the city of Yekaterinburg, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor:

Probably, we should start not with swimming in the Epiphany frosts, but with the most blessed feast of Epiphany. By the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, all water, in all its forms, is sanctified, because for two thousand years the water of the Jordan River, which touched the blessed body of Christ, rose to the heavens millions of times, floated in the clouds and again returned as raindrops to the earth. What is it in - in trees, lakes, rivers, grass? Pieces of her are everywhere. And now the feast of Epiphany is approaching, when the Lord gives us an abundance of consecrated water. Concern awakens in every person: what about me? After all, this is my chance to cleanse myself! Don't miss it! And so people, without hesitation, even with some kind of despair, rush to the ice hole and, having plunged, then whole year talk about their “feat”. Did they partake of the grace of our Lord or did they gratify their pride?

An Orthodox man walks calmly from one church holiday to another, observing fasts, confessing and receiving communion. And he prepares for Epiphany slowly, deciding with his family who, after confession and communion, will be honored to plunge into the Jordan, according to the ancient Russian tradition, and who, due to being a child or indisposed, will wash their face with holy water, or take a bath at a holy spring, or simply take holy water with prayer as a spiritual medicine. Thank God, we have plenty to choose from, and we don’t need to take risks thoughtlessly if a person is weakened by illness. The Jordan is not a Pool of Sheep (see John 5:1-4), and must be approached with caution. An experienced priest will not bless everyone for a bath. He will take care of choosing a place, strengthening the ice, gangplanks, a warm place for undressing and dressing, and the presence of one of the Orthodox medical workers. Here, mass baptism will be appropriate and beneficial.

Another thing is the mass of desperate people who decided, without a blessing or just basic thought, to swim “for company” in icy water. Here we are not talking about the strength of the spirit, but about the strength of the body. A strong spasm of skin vessels in response to the action of cold water leads to the fact that a mass of blood rushes into internal organs- heart, lungs, brain, stomach, liver, and for people with poor health this can end badly.

The danger especially increases for those who were preparing for “purification” in the ice hole by smoking and alcohol. The flow of blood to the lungs will only increase chronic inflammation of the bronchi, which always accompanies smoking, and can cause swelling of the bronchial wall and pneumonia. Long-term use of alcohol or acute intoxication and warm water constantly lead to misfortunes, let alone swimming in an ice hole. The arterial vessels of an alcoholic or a domestic drunkard, even if he is relatively young, are not able to respond correctly to massive cold exposure; in these cases, paradoxical reactions can be expected, including cardiac and respiratory arrest. With such bad habits and in such a state, it is better not to approach the ice hole.

– Explain, after all, why Orthodox person swim in icy water on Epiphany when it’s thirty degrees below zero outside?

Priest Svyatoslav Shevchenko: – It is necessary to distinguish folk customs and church liturgical practice. The Church does not call believers to climb into icy water - everyone decides for themselves individually. But today the custom of plunging into a frosty hole has become something newfangled for non-church people. It is clear that on major Orthodox holidays there is a religious surge among the Russian people - and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is not very good is that people limit themselves to this superficial ablution. Moreover, some seriously believe that by bathing in the Epiphany Jordan, they will wash away all the sins that have accumulated over the year. These are pagan superstitions, and they have nothing in common with church teaching. Sins are forgiven by the priest in the sacrament of Penance. In addition, in search thrills we're missing out the main point feast of the Epiphany.

Where did the tradition of diving into an ice hole at Epiphany come from? Is it necessary for every Orthodox Christian to do this? Do priests bathe in ice water? What is the place of this tradition in the Christian hierarchy of values?

Faith is not tested by swimming

Archpriest Vladimir Vigilyansky, rector of the Church of the Martyr Tatiana at Moscow State University:

Bathing at Epiphany is a relatively new tradition. Neither in historical literature about Ancient Rus', I didn’t read in my memoirs about pre-revolutionary Russia that somewhere on Epiphany they cut through the ice and swam. But there is nothing wrong with this tradition itself, you just need to understand that the Church does not force anyone to swim in cold water.

The consecration of water is a reminder that the Lord is everywhere, sanctifying the entire nature of the earth, and the earth was created for man, for life. Without understanding that God is with us everywhere, without spiritual understanding of the feast of Epiphany, Epiphany bathing turns into a sport, a love of extreme sports. It is important to feel the presence of the Trinity, which permeates all natural nature, and to join precisely this presence. And the rest, including bathing in a consecrated spring, is just a relatively new tradition.

I serve in the center of Moscow, far from the water, so swimming is not practiced in our parish. But, for example, I know that in the Trinity Church in Ostankino, which is located near the Ostankino ponds, they consecrate the water and wash themselves with it. Those who have been swimming for more than a year should continue to swim. And if a person wants to join this tradition for the first time, I would advise him to think about whether his health allows him, whether he tolerates the cold well. Faith is not tested by bathing.

The spiritual meaning is in the blessing of water, not in bathing

Archpriest Konstantin Ostrovsky, rector of the Assumption Church in Krasnogorsk, dean of churches in the Krasnogorsk district:

Today the Church does not prohibit swimming in reservoirs, but before the revolution it had a negative attitude towards it. Father Sergius Bulgakov in his “Handbook for a Clergyman” writes the following:

«… In some places, there is a custom to bathe in rivers on this day (especially those who dressed up, told fortunes, etc., bathed during Christmastide, superstitiously attributing to this bath a cleansing power from these sins). Such a custom cannot be justified by the desire to imitate the example of the Savior’s immersion in water, as well as the example of Palestinian pilgrims who bathe in the Jordan River at all times. In the east it is safe for pilgrims, because there is no such cold and such frosts as ours.

The belief in the healing and cleansing power of water, consecrated by the Church on the very day of the Savior’s baptism, cannot speak in favor of such a custom, because swimming in winter means demanding a miracle from God or completely neglecting your life and health».

(S. V. Bulgakov, “Handbook for priests and church ministers”, Publishing department of the Moscow Patriarchate, 1993, reprint of the 1913 edition, p. 24, footnote 2)

In my opinion, if you do not associate bathing with pagan beliefs, there is nothing wrong with it. Those who are healthy enough can take a dip, but don’t look for any spiritual meaning in it. Epiphany water has spiritual significance, but you can drink a drop of it, or sprinkle it on yourself, and it is absurd to think that the one who has bathed will necessarily receive more grace than the one who drank a sip. Receiving grace does not depend on this.

Not far from one of the churches of our deanery, in Opalikha, there is a clean pond, I know that the clergy of the temple sanctify the water there. Why not? The Typikon allows this. Of course, at the end of the liturgy or, when Christmas Eve falls on Saturday or Sunday, at the end of Great Vespers. The consecration of water by the Great Rite at other times is permissible in exceptional cases.

For example, it happens that one priest is the rector of three rural churches at once. He cannot serve two liturgies a day. And so the priest serves and blesses the water in one temple, and travels to two others, sometimes tens of kilometers away, to specially local residents bless the water. Then, of course, let's say Great rank. Or in a nursing home, if it is impossible to perform the Epiphany liturgy there, you can also perform the Great Blessing of Water.

If, for example, a pious rich man wants to sanctify the water in his pond, there is nothing wrong with this, but in this case it is necessary to sanctify it with the Lesser Rite.

Well, when, as in Opalikha, after the prayer behind the pulpit there is a procession of the cross, the water in the pond is blessed, and then everyone returns to the church and finishes the liturgy, the church rite is not violated. And whether the priests and parishioners will then plunge into the ice hole is everyone’s personal matter. You just need to approach this wisely.

One of our parishioners is an experienced walrus, she even goes to walrus competitions. Naturally, she enjoys bathing at Epiphany too. But people become walruses by gradually tempering them. If a person is not frost-resistant and often catches colds, it would be unreasonable on his part to climb into an ice hole without preparation. If in this way he wants to be convinced of the power of God, then let him consider whether he is not tempting the Lord by this.

There was a case when an elderly hieromonk - I knew him - decided to pour ten buckets of Epiphany water on himself. During such a dousing, he died - his heart could not stand it. Like any swimming in cold water, Epiphany bathing requires preliminary preparation. Then it can be beneficial to health, but without preparation it can be harmful.

I'm talking about physical health, perhaps mental health - cold water invigorates - but not spiritual health. Spiritual meaning is in the very sacrament of consecration of water, and not in bathing. It is not so important whether a person bathes in the Epiphany ice hole; it is much more important whether he comes to the festive liturgy, whether he receives the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Naturally, as an Orthodox priest, I wish everyone not only to come on this day for Epiphany water, but to pray during the service and, if possible, receive communion. But all of us, Orthodox Christians, must treat people who come with love and understanding, with condescension towards human weakness. If someone comes only for water, it is wrong to tell him that he is this and that and will not receive grace. It’s not for us to judge this.

In the biography of the righteous Alexy Mechev, I read how he advised one spiritual daughter, whose husband was an unbeliever, that she should give him prosphora. “Father, he eats it with soup,” she soon complained. "So what? Let it be with soup,” answered Father Alexy. And in the end, that man turned to God.

From this, of course, it does not follow that it is necessary to distribute prosphora to all unbelieving relatives, but the example given shows that God's grace often acts in a way that is incomprehensible to us. Same with water. The man came only for water, but perhaps, through these external actions, without realizing it, he is drawn to God and will eventually come to Him. For now, let us rejoice that he remembers the feast of Epiphany and came to church in the first place.

Swimming is just the beginning

Archpriest Theodore Borodin, rector of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian on Maroseyka:

The tradition of bathing at Epiphany is a late one. And one should treat it depending on why a person bathes. Let me make an analogy with Easter. Everyone knows that on Holy Saturday tens or even hundreds of thousands of people go to church to bless Easter cakes.

If they really don’t know that this is only a tiny part of the joy that Easter is for a believer, they come to church with reverence and sincerely pray, for them it is still a meeting with the Lord.

If, from year to year, they hear that this is not the most important thing, and the priest, blessing the Easter cakes, each time invites them to come to the night service, to share with everyone the joy of the Risen Lord, explains the meaning of the service, and their communication with the Church still comes down to the blessing of Easter cakes, which is, of course, sad.

The same goes for swimming. If a person, completely unfamiliar with church life, plunges into the water with reverence, turning to the Lord in the way he knows how, sincerely desiring to receive grace, the Lord, of course, will give grace, and this person will have a meeting with God.

I think that when a person sincerely seeks God, sooner or later he will understand that bathing is just the beginning, and it is much more important to be at the all-night vigil and liturgy. If Epiphany bathing serves as a stepping stone to beginning to celebrate this holiday in a truly Christian way, at least in a few years, such bathing can only be welcomed.

Unfortunately, many people treat it simply as one of the extreme sports. Often the bathing of non-church people is accompanied by obscene jokes and excessive drinking. Just like the once popular wall-to-wall fights, such fun does not bring a person one step closer to the Lord.

But many of those who do not allow themselves any lewdness do not come to the service - they usually swim at night and consider that they have already joined the holiday, sleep off, satisfied with themselves - they have proven that they are strong in body and their faith is strong. They proved it to themselves, but this is self-deception.

Of course, it is not necessary to swim at night, you can after the service. Our church is located in the center, there is nowhere to swim nearby, but some parishioners travel to other areas or to the Moscow region. Sometimes they consult with me, I never object if I see that a person is really doing this for the sake of the Lord. But one priest I know, a very good one, plunged into an ice hole for several years in a row and fell ill every time after that. This means that his bathing was displeasing to the Lord, and the Lord admonished him through his illness - now he does not bathe.

I've never swam either. It’s quite a long way for me to travel to the nearest consecrated reservoirs; if I spend half the night on the road and swimming, I won’t be able to confess to the parishioners and serve the liturgy as I should. But sometimes my mother, my children and I doused ourselves with Epiphany water on the street, in the snow. I live outside the city, and after returning from the all-night vigil, the whole family doused themselves. But it’s possible outside the city; in Moscow you won’t be able to do that.

And what does Baptism have to do with it?

Archpriest Alexy Uminsky, rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Khokhly, confessor of the St. Vladimir Orthodox Gymnasium:

I’m somehow not particularly puzzled by the issue of night Epiphany diving. If a person wants to, let him dive; if he doesn’t want to, let him not dive. Just what does diving in an ice hole have to do with the feast of the Epiphany?

For me, these dips are just fun, extreme. Our people love something so unusual. Lately It has become fashionable and popular to dive into an ice hole at Epiphany, then drink vodka, and then tell everyone about your such Russian piety.

This is a Russian tradition, like fist fights on Maslenitsa. It has exactly the same relation to the celebration of Epiphany as fist fights have to the celebration of Forgiveness Resurrection.

We invite you to find out when is the best time to perform the ritual of bathing on Epiphany.

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 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 gave special meaning 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.