Where did the tradition of swimming in the hole come from? Epiphany bathing: Why do people plunge into the hole, and why is it called “Jordan Epiphany bathing in the hole.

Bathing at the Epiphany. Photo: sanrussia.ru

The Baptism of the Lord is a great Orthodox holiday that has a long history, its own rituals, rules and traditions. It is this holiday that ends Christmas time, which lasts from January 7 to 19.

The history of the holiday is rooted in the distant past, when God's son Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan River. It was from here that the integral tradition of bathing in the hole began.

Every year the number of people who want to plunge into the hole is only growing. However, not everyone knows the basic rules that must be observed when immersed in ice water.

When is the best time to swim

Many are wondering when it is better to swim - on the eve of the holiday on January 18, or on the Epiphany itself on January 19.

It is believed that on January 18 it is best to go to the temple for the evening service. There, you must definitely read a prayer and collect holy water home. In this case, in this case, you can not collect plastic water or bottles from alcoholic beverages. Holy water should have its own container, previously well washed.

After the festive evening service, you can swim in the hole. The best time for this action is the time interval from 00:00 to 01:30. It was at this time that Epiphany water has the strongest healing properties that help with any ailments. Of course, not everyone can get up at such a time to bathe, so you can do this at any time already on Epiphany itself on January 19th.

How to dive into the hole

You can dive into the hole only in specially designated areas and under the supervision of lifeguards. Initially, a special Jordan in the form of a cross should be carved in the ice, after the priest lowers the crucifix into the water and reads a prayer, you can swim in it.

You can't just go into the water. The body will be in a state of shock anyway, and if certain rules are not followed, the consequences can be disastrous:

• an hour before swimming, you must definitely eat, but do not drink alcoholic beverages;
• before bathing, you need to warm up the body, do a warm-up, go for a run;
• clothing should be simple so that it can be easily removed and put on;
• you can’t go barefoot to the ice hole, it’s best to wear boots or good woolen socks, they need to be dressed so as not to slip;
• check the stability of the ladder or descent into the water;
• you need to enter the water gradually, do not do it abruptly, otherwise you can provoke problems with pressure. Diving into the water is also not recommended, as a state of shock may occur;
• the maximum time spent in the water should not exceed 30 seconds, this is quite enough to plunge three times;
• you can’t dive with your head, it’s best to do it only up to your neck. If you plunge with your head, then the vessels can narrow sharply, this will lead to a sharp decrease in temperature and a shock state of the body;
• try not to swim in cold water, limbs can cramp;
• if you have a child with you, watch him, in a state of shock from cold water, he may forget that he can swim;
• when leaving the water, hold on to the handrails not with wet hands, but with a dry towel;
• after bathing, rub yourself with a towel again;
• to warm up, herbal or berry tea is best, but again, by no means alcoholic drinks.

What to bring with you

In order for swimming in the Epiphany hole to be successful, you need to have a number of seemingly everyday, but in this case very necessary items with you.

These include:

• towel and bathrobe;
• a set of dry clothes;
• swimsuit or change of underwear (it is also allowed to dip in it);
• slippers, so as not to slip on the ice, and woolen socks are best;
• a rubber cap so as not to soak your head and then not to freeze in the cold;
• willpower and desire.

Contraindications

As it turned out in the case of swimming in the hole, there are a lot of contraindications that can not only spoil the effect of this action, but also lead to exacerbations of diseases.

• with the cardiovascular system;
• with the central nervous system - epilepsy, the consequences of severe injuries of the skull; sclerosis of cerebral vessels in a pronounced stage, syringomyelia; encephalitis, arachnoiditis;
• with the peripheral nervous system - neuritis, polyneuritis;
• with the endocrine system - diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis;
• inflammatory processes of the nasopharynx;
• with the organs of vision - glaucoma, conjunctivitis;
• with respiratory organs - pulmonary tuberculosis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma;
• with the genitourinary system - nephritis, cystitis, inflammation of the appendages, inflammation of the prostate gland.

Maria Babich

The Orthodox Church on January 19 (according to the new style) celebrates Epiphany, or Epiphany. This is the most ancient holiday among Christians, and its establishment goes back to the time of the disciples-apostles of Christ. It also has ancient names: “Epiphany” - a phenomenon, “Theophany” - Epiphany, “Holy Lights”, “Feast of Lights” or simply “Lights”, since it was the Lord Himself who came into the world on this day to show him the Light Unapproachable.

Feast of Epiphany

The word "I baptize" or "I baptize" is translated from Greek as "I immerse in water." It is almost impossible to understand the importance and the very meaning of what baptismal bathing is without having an idea of ​​the symbolic meaning of water in the Old Testament.

Water is the beginning of life. It was she who fertilized all living beings that originated from her. Where there is no water, there is a lifeless desert. And water is capable of destroying, as in the time of the Great Flood, when God flooded the sinful life of people and thereby destroyed the evil that they did.

God made the water holy with his Baptism, and now the Blessing of the Water is traditionally celebrated in memory of this event. At this time, water is consecrated in all Orthodox churches, and then in rivers and reservoirs.

Jordan

On this day, a traditional procession called the "Procession to the Jordan" is traditionally carried out in order to bless the water and then arrange an Epiphany bathing in the hole. The baptism of John meant that just as a body washed with water is cleansed, so a penitent soul that believes in God will be cleansed from sins by the Savior.

The Bible story tells how Jesus from Nazareth came in those days, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. When Jesus came out of the water, the heavens opened, and the Spirit, like a dove, descended on Him. And a voice was heard from heaven: "You are my beloved son, in whom is my blessing." The Epiphany revealed to people the great mystery of the Holy Trinity, to which every person who is baptized joins.

Then Christ told his apostles to go and teach this to all nations.

Epiphany bathing

Traditions The tradition of blessing water among our ancestors appeared from those ancient times, when in 988 Kiev Prince Vladimir baptized Rus'. Now, only a priest can perform the rite of consecration of water, since at this time special prayers are read with a triple immersion in the water of the cross. This is done on the feast of Epiphany after the liturgy. But first, before this, an ice hole is made in the reservoir, usually in the form of a cross, called the “Jordan”.

These days, Epiphany water is a real shrine that can heal and strengthen the mental and physical strength of a person. Therefore, such a solemn procession of consecration is performed near the hole in the reservoir in order to make bathing at Epiphany available to people. Orthodox people draw water from the hole and wash themselves, but the most daring and courageous people literally dive into it.

ancestral traditions

The Russians borrowed the tradition of swimming in the hole from the ancient Scythians, who tempered their babies in this way. They simply dipped them in cold water and thus accustomed them to harsh climate conditions. In addition, the tradition of swimming in the hole was also in pagan rituals, this is how initiation into warriors took place. And still in Rus' they like to rub themselves with snow after a bath or jump into cold water.

Some pagan rites have taken root in our lives to this day. Therefore, we bathe in the hole and celebrate Maslenitsa, which is tied to the beginning of Lent.

Epiphany holiday

According to church rules, on Epiphany Christmas Eve a “great consecration of water” takes place. Believers come to church services, put candles and collect blessed water. However, it is not required to plunge into the hole, it happens at the person's own will.

In general, in Rus' it was believed that bathing in an ice hole at Baptism promotes healing from many ailments. Water, as a living matter, is able to change its structure under the influence of information, so everything depends on the thoughts in a person’s head. Epiphany bathing turns into whole folk festivals; photographs of this celebration always show how fun and interesting they are.

Bathing at Epiphany. How to

But this fun and harmless, at first glance, activity can lead to a number of unpleasant moments. Epiphany bathing does not particularly imply special preparation. The human body is adapted to the cold, and therefore only the mood is important here.

What can happen to the human body when immersed in an ice hole?

1. When a person is immersed in cold water with his head, he has a sharp excitation of the central nervous system and cerebral cortex, which generally has a positive effect on the entire body.
2. Exposure to low temperatures is briefly perceived by the body as stress, which can relieve inflammation, swelling and spasms.
3. The thermal conductivity of the air enveloping the body is 28 times less than the thermal conductivity of water. This is the hardening effect.
4. Cold water causes the body to release additional forces, and after contact with it, the temperature of the human body rises to 40 degrees Celsius. And as you know, at such a mark, microbes, diseased cells and viruses die.

Bathing rules

Bathing in Epiphany frosts implies the fulfillment of certain rules. The main thing at the same time is that the hole is specially equipped and all this action takes place under the supervision of rescuers. The population is usually informed about such mass bathing places. Swimming in an ice-hole requires the presence of swimming trunks or a swimsuit, a terry dressing gown and towels, as well as a set of dry clothes, slippers or woolen socks, a rubber cap and hot tea.

Before arranging a bath in Baptism, it is very important to know how to do it correctly. First you need to warm up a little with exercises, and even better, do a jog.

The ice-hole must be approached in non-slip, comfortable, easily removable shoes or socks.

It is also necessary to check the stability of the ladder, and to secure it, throw a rope firmly fixed on the shore into the water.

It is necessary to plunge into the hole up to the neck, and it is better not to wet the head, so that there is no narrowing of the vessels of the brain. Jumping into an ice hole with your head is also undesirable, as a loss of temperature can cause shock. Cold water will immediately cause rapid breathing, and this is completely normal, as the body adapts to the cold.

It is dangerous to be in water for more than one minute, the body may cool down. You also need to be very careful with children who, if frightened, may forget that they can swim. You also need to be able to get out of the hole so as not to fall, and for this you need to hold on tightly to the handrails and at the same time use a dry rag.

After bathing, you need to thoroughly rub yourself with a towel and put on dry clothes. Immediately it is best to drink hot tea from herbs or berries, prepared in advance in a thermos.

On this day, it is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol, as it negatively affects the natural thermoregulation of the whole organism, and therefore the consequences may be different. It is also important to know that it is also unacceptable to swim on an empty stomach or, conversely, a clogged stomach.

Bathing contraindications

No matter how useful baptismal bathing is, there are still contraindications for this. And they relate to acute and chronic diseases. This is a violation of the cardiovascular system (heart defects, hypertension, heart attacks), central nervous system (cranial injury, epilepsy), endocrine system (thyrotoxicosis, diabetes mellitus), visual organs (conjunctivitis, glaucoma), respiratory organs (asthma, pneumonia , tuberculosis), genitourinary system (cystitis, inflammation of the appendages or prostate gland), gastrointestinal tract (ulcer, cholecystitis, hepatitis), skin and venereal diseases; inflammation of the nasopharynx and otitis, etc.

Opinion of physicians

Medical experts in this field believe that in order for bathing in the hole at Epiphany not to bring any unexpected troubles, you need to be absolutely healthy. And this is especially dangerous for those who smoke or drink alcohol, as blood flow to the lungs can cause inflammation or even swelling of the bronchi and pneumonia.

In young people, not to mention the elderly, the arteries are not always able to properly respond to cold water, and at this point, respiratory arrest may occur, and then the heart. If you engage in systemic winter swimming, then this will certainly contribute to the improvement of the body, but when this happens infrequently, then everything will become a strong stress for him, so you need to seriously weigh the pros and cons before swimming.

Conclusion

Many people on Epiphany heroically decide to swim in the hole, although this idea may not be safe. However, people's Epiphany bathing is very nice, the photos from these holidays are quite expressive, someone is just getting ready to go into the water, someone is already happy that he took a swim, and someone is already warming up and drinking hot tea.

Many believers believe that swimming in the hole at Baptism for a true Orthodox person is a great blessing. And that's the way it is. Only here the main thing is to understand whether this faith is strong and deep enough for you to become a real shield from all troubles at the moment when Epiphany bathing takes place.

Oksana Pankova, SYLru

____________________
Found an error or typo in the text above? Highlight the misspelled word or phrase and press Shift+Enter or .

Orthodox people celebrate Epiphany, or Epiphany, on January 19, and on the eve, on the 18th, they celebrate.

The tradition of blessing water among our ancestors appeared from those ancient times, when in 988 Kiev Prince Vladimir baptized Rus'.

There is a popular tradition among believers to bathe on this day. In Rus', it was believed that bathing in ice water heals the body and soul of a person, cleanses from all the sins committed last year.

Of course, it will not work to be cleansed of sins with the help of an ice-hole alone. But, the tradition is old and many Orthodox believers observe it.

Only a priest can perform water consecration by reading the appropriate prayers and immersing the cross three times in water.

On reservoirs, an ice hole is made in advance - "Jordan" - as a rule, in the form of a cross. Usually reservoirs - ponds, rivers, lakes are consecrated on the feast of Epiphany itself, after the liturgy.

Epiphany water is a real shrine, which is used for healing and to strengthen the mental and physical strength of us and our loved ones.

From some churches and on Epiphany Christmas Eve after the service, solemn processions are made to the holes in the reservoirs for their consecration.

The Orthodox scoop up holy water in this hole, wash themselves with it, and the most courageous “dive” into the hole.

The Russian tradition of bathing in an ice-hole dates back to the time of the ancient Scythians, who dipped their babies in icy water, accustoming them to the harsh nature.

When they bathe in the hole at Epiphany

On January 18, Orthodox believers celebrate Epiphany Christmas Eve, the eve of Theophany, or Epiphany. In all churches, the "great consecration of water" is performed.

According to church canons, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, a believer must come to church, defend the service, light a candle, collect blessed water.

But no one requires to plunge into ice water, especially if a person is not ready for this. You can just wash it.

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

There are no strict rules on how to swim (dip) in the hole for Epiphany. Bathing is a three-time immersion in water with your head. At the same time, the believer is baptized and says “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit!”.

Since ancient times, it has been believed in Rus' 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 what thoughts you approach it, you will receive it.

To plunge into cold water, special preparation is not 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, during winter swimming in the hole?

1. Plunging headlong into ice-cold 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 a 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 focus of hardening with cold water. 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.

Systemic winter swimming contributes to the improvement of the body, but diving into an ice hole once a year is the strongest stress for the body.

Rules for bathing in the hole for Epiphany

Dipping (swimming) should be done 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 large cities on the eve of the Feast of Epiphany for mass bathing of citizens. The population is informed about the location of such places through the mass media.

Before swimming in the hole, it is necessary to warm up the body by doing a warm-up, jogging. The ice hole must be approached in comfortable, non-slip and easily removable shoes to prevent loss of sensation in the legs.

It is better to use boots or woolen socks in order to reach the 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 the ice. When going to the hole, remember that the path can be slippery. Walk slowly and carefully.

Make sure that the ladder for descending into the water is stable. At least for safety, 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 dive up to the neck without soaking your head in order to avoid reflex constriction of the vessels of the brain.

Never dive headfirst into an ice hole. Jumping into water and submerging head first is not recommended as it increases temperature loss and can lead to cold shock.

When entering the water for the first time, try to quickly reach the desired depth, but do not swim. Remember that cold water can cause perfectly normal, harmless rapid breathing. Once your body has adjusted to the cold.

Do not stay in the hole for more than 1 minute to avoid general hypothermia of the body. When lowering to the bottom in a small hole, the danger is also the following. Not everyone can descend vertically.

Many descend at an angle, shifting towards the ice edge. 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 hole, you can “miss” and hit your head on the ice.

If you have a child with you, fly for him during his dive 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 directly on the handrails, use a dry towel, a handful of snow from the edge of the hole, you can scoop up more water in handfuls and lean on the handrails, quickly and vigorously rise.

Getting out in a vertical position is difficult and dangerous. Having broken, you can go under the ice. Need insurance and help.

After bathing (dipping), rub yourself and the 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, best of all from berries, fruits and vegetables from a pre-prepared thermos.

Contraindications for swimming in the hole

Winter swimming is contraindicated for people with the following acute and chronic (in the acute stage) diseases:

• inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx, accessory cavities of the nose, otitis media;
• cardiovascular system (congenital and acquired valvular heart disease, coronary heart disease with angina attacks; previous myocardial infarction, coronary-cardiosclerosis, hypertension stage II and III)
• central nervous system (epilepsy, consequences of severe skull injuries;
• sclerosis of cerebral vessels in a pronounced stage, syringomyelia; encephalitis, arachnoiditis)
• peripheral nervous system (neuritis, polyneuritis)
• endocrine system (diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis);
• organs of vision (glaucoma, conjunctivitis);
• respiratory organs (pulmonary tuberculosis - active and in the stage of complications, pneumonia, bronchial asthma, eczema);
• genitourinary system (nephritis, cystitis, inflammation of the appendages, inflammation of the prostate gland);
• gastrointestinal tract (gastric ulcer, enterocolitis, cholecystitis, hepatitis)
• skin and venereal diseases.

What is needed for swimming in the hole in the Epiphany of the Lord:

• towel and bathrobe, a set of dry clothes;
• swimming trunks or swimsuit, you can wear underwear;
• slippers, so as not to hurt your feet, only so that they do not slip when walking on ice, woolen socks are better, you can swim in them, boots;
• rubber cap;
• will power and desire!

To swim in the hole at Epiphany or not, each believer must decide this issue for himself.

But it is important to believe in what you are doing and be close to God not only with your actions, but also with your thoughts.

Only with such a combination will holy water be able to bring a person the miracles that he is counting on.

Many have heard about the Feast of Epiphany and Epiphany frosts. Some even plunged into the font on January 19th. But few people thought about the details of such a tradition, and what is the meaning of Epiphany bathing in 2019.

Biblical giving

The rite of immersion in water to cleanse sin existed long before the advent of Christianity. People tried to get rid of filth with running water. It was believed that if you go into the river and repent, then the sins will forever leave a person.

According to the Gospel, after long wanderings, the prophet John came to the place of repentance of the Jews and began to carry out or cleansing.

Jesus Christ, upon reaching thirty years, also came to the Jordan River to perform the ritual of washing. He asked the prophet to conduct the rite of Baptism. After he entered the water, the heavens parted and a dove sat on Jesus' shoulder - the personification of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, the voice of the Lord sounded, announcing that Jesus was his Son. At this time, the people became witnesses of the Holy Trinity:

1. God the Father;
2. God the Son;
3. Holy Spirit.

The essence of baptismal bathing

After the divine essence of Christ became known, the meaning of Baptism changed. Now this ritual cleanses the soul from original sin. Baptism signifies the beginning of a new life.

After Jesus passed the rite of Baptism, it became obligatory for all worshipers of Christianity.

Every year, believers celebrate this day on January 19th. In Russian tradition, the holiday is called Epiphany. It is also called Epiphany, Water Baptism, Jordan Day.

To show their connection with both Jesus and the Christian faith, on January 19, many believers also bathe in natural reservoirs. This is done in order to cleanse your soul.

True, all those who bathe in the hole do not know that in order to really cleanse themselves from the inside, you need to at least go to church and pray. Otherwise, dipping into the hole can be considered as a hardening procedure.

According to all church canons, before performing ablution, you need to:

1. confess;
2. take communion:
3. attend a festive service.

At present, the ministers of the church turn a blind eye to many things. They calmly perceive the immersion of people in the consecrated font without visiting the church. The clergy understand that in the current situation people are very busy and it is hard for them to endure a few more hours in church after a working day.

When should you swim in open water?

Usually, on the evening of January 18, a service is held in all Christian churches, after which the priests begin to bless the water and natural reservoirs. Anyone can collect the required amount of water and take it home. It is believed that it has healing properties. It is even used to restore strength after serious illnesses. The water retains its properties for another three days. Although, some researchers say that consecrated water has its maximum energy power on January 19th.

Consecrated natural reservoirs also become a place of pilgrimage for believers. They try, like their Teacher many centuries ago, to plunge into the font. You can start this process immediately at the evening service on January 18. Some people prefer to swim at night between 00:00 and 01:30. Most people bathe in the consecrated reservoirs on January 19th.

In Russia at this time, as a rule,. On the eve of Epiphany Christmas Eve, church workers cut a hole in the shape of a cross in a nearby pond. Then, after the church service on January 18, the priest dips the cross in water and reads a special prayer. After that, the water is considered consecrated. This hole is called "Jordan".

Bathing rules in the font

There are no specific rules for bathing in the baptismal font. Most people go into the water and dip head first. Usually this procedure is repeated three times. Before each dive into the water, the phrase is pronounced: "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

It is believed that by plunging into the icy water, a person shows his character and his degree of closeness to God. He believes that thanks to God's grace he will gain new strength and health.

Some people are afraid to plunge into the font. They believe that in this way they can overcool their body and get sick. In fact, numerous experiences show that swimming in ice water is not so dangerous. The main thing is to follow certain rules:

• before you go swimming, you must definitely eat;
• you need to wear warm and loose clothing;
• bring special shoes, a towel and a mat;
• you should undress quickly, starting from the bottom;
• dressing process must be done in reverse order.

When immersed in water, you should think about the spiritual and how this will help make you even cleaner and kinder.

Usually, after washing, a person experiences a spiritual uplift and a special feeling of spirituality. It looks like he has wings.

It is not recommended to dive naked into the water. The Church does not welcome the demonstration of naked parts of the body, especially on such an important holiday for Christianity. From time immemorial in Rus', it was customary to dive into the font in long shirts.

And yet, it is categorically not recommended to swim in the hole while intoxicated. First, it may offend the feelings of believers. Second, it's not safe. When drunk, you can slip and injure yourself. Such a bath will not lead to anything good.

As for children, you can start swimming in the font from a very early age. If this is your first time visiting such a place with children, then it is better to first go into the hole together. Children for the first time may be afraid to swim in such cold water. Adult support will allow them to overcome fear, and they will enjoy the feeling of universal uplift and spiritualization.

Very young children can be accustomed to Epiphany bathing in the bath. To do this, just dip them for a few seconds in cool water.

Who Shouldn't Swim

We have already mentioned drunk people. In addition, doctors do not advise people suffering from arrhythmia, epilepsy, asthma, prostatitis, diabetes, high blood pressure to visit the font.

This procedure is not suitable for people with respiratory diseases, sinusitis, sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, prone to convulsions.

Bathing is contraindicated for people with cataracts, thyrotoxicosis, some skin diseases and gynecological diseases.

Hypothermia can cause irreparable damage to those who suffer from insomnia and nervous disorders.

How to prepare in advance for Epiphany bathing

Doctors remind that swimming in icy water is a great stress for any organism. There are a number of steps you can take to prepare for such an experiment:

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

In any church holiday, it is necessary to distinguish between its meaning and the traditions that have developed around it. In the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the main thing is the Epiphany, this is 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 the presence at the church service, confession and Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, communion of baptismal water.

The established traditions of bathing 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 from sins, which, unfortunately, is much talked about in the media.

Such traditions should not be treated as magical rites - the feast of the Epiphany is celebrated by the Orthodox 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 vines on the Transfiguration of the Lord was a blessing for the harvest of apples. Also on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, all waters will be consecrated, regardless of their temperature.

Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev, press secretary of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese

Archpriest Sergiy Vogulkin, rector of the church in the name of the icon of the Mother of God "The Tsaritsa" of the city of Yekaterinburg, doctor of medical sciences, professor:

Probably, we should start not with bathing in Epiphany frosts, but with the most fertile feast of the Epiphany. The baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ sanctifies all water, in all its forms, because for two thousand years the water of the Jordan River, which touched the blessed body of Christ, rose millions of times to heaven, floated in the clouds and returned again as raindrops to the earth. What is it - in trees, in lakes, rivers, grasses? Pieces of her are everywhere. And now the feast of the Epiphany is approaching, when the Lord gives us an abundance of blessed water. Anxiety awakens in every person: what about me? After all, this is my chance to be cleansed! Wouldn't miss it! And now people without hesitation, even with some kind of despair, rush to the hole and, having plunged, then for a whole year they talk about their “feat”. Did they partake of the grace of our Lord, or amuse their pride?

An Orthodox person goes quietly from one church holiday to another, observing fasts, confessing and taking communion. And he is preparing for the Epiphany slowly, deciding with his family who, after confession and communion, according to the old Russian tradition, will be worthy to plunge into the Jordan, and who, due to childhood or indisposition, will wash his face with holy water, or pour himself on a holy spring, or simply accept holy water with prayer like spiritual medicine. We, thank God, have plenty to choose from, and we do not need to risk thoughtlessly if a person is weakened by an illness. The Jordan is not the Sheep's Pool (see John 5:1-4) and must be approached with caution. An experienced priest will not bless everyone for swimming. He will take care of choosing a place, strengthening the ice, gangways, a warm place for undressing and dressing, and the presence of one of the Orthodox medical workers. Here, mass baptism will be appropriate and grace-filled.

Another thing is the mass of desperate people who decided, without a blessing and just an elementary thought, to swim "for the company" in ice water. Here we are talking not about the strength of the spirit, but about the strength of the body. The strongest spasm of the skin vessels in response to the action of cold water leads to the fact that a mass of blood rushes into the internal organs - the 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 the "cleansing" in the hole with smoking and alcohol. The flow of blood to the lungs will only increase the chronic inflammation of the bronchi, which always accompanies smoking, can cause swelling of the bronchial wall and pneumonia. Prolonged intake of alcohol or acute intoxication and in warm water constantly lead to misfortunes, to say nothing of swimming in the 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 one can expect paradoxical reactions up to cardiac and respiratory arrest. With such bad habits and in such a state, it is better not to approach the hole.

- Explain all the same, why should an Orthodox person bathe in icy water at Epiphany when it is over thirty degrees outside?

Priest Svyatoslav Shevchenko:- It is necessary to distinguish between folk customs and church liturgical practice. The Church does not call on believers to climb into icy water - everyone decides for himself 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, a religious outburst occurs among the Russian people - and there is nothing wrong with that. But it is not very good that people limit themselves to this superficial ablution. Moreover, some seriously believe that, having bathed in the Epiphany Jordan, they will wash away all the sins that have accumulated over the year. These are pagan superstitions and have nothing to do with church teaching. Sins are forgiven by the priest in the sacrament of Repentance. In addition, in the search for thrills, we miss the main essence of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.