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Ritual immersion in water is not done for entertainment, but clothes for him have to be chosen very frivolously - beach. Because of this, it turns out that from year to year many people find themselves in front of an ice hole in a form that does not lead to magnificent thoughts: we choose swimsuits and swimming trunks to go to the beach not in order to look modest and neat in them.

The result is a selection of comical photographs of men and women in an inappropriate form for a religious holiday. What to wear so as not to become the hero of funny photos?

Epiphany bathing on Revolution Square in Moscow, January 2016

Artem Sizov/Gazeta.Ru

For pilgrims going to Israel to take a ritual bath in the Jordan River (now this can only be done in a specially equipped place for this in Yardenit), this problem has been solved: they either buy or rent long white shirts - only in them and you can dive into this river. In Russia, bound by Epiphany frosts, a long shirt is not the best option for one reason: when leaving the water, a wet shirt instantly becomes ice and sticks to the body.

There are people who still dip in long T-shirts - usually they are experienced bathers who have been practicing Epiphany washing for many years in a row.

They not only know how to properly plunge into ice water, but also know how to prepare for this action. Going to Epiphany bathing, they prepare a set of things that will help to quickly restore physical condition. And everyone is advised.

The set is simple: terry bathrobe, two large towels (for body and hair), woolen socks. To avoid the risk of bruises and loss of sensation in the legs, it is recommended not to refuse rubber slippers - it is better not to go down into the hole barefoot. And do not forget about warm clothes that you will change into after swimming: a sweater (or two is better), warm trousers, a scarf, a hat and mittens.

Most men and women plunge into the hole in beachwear. And you can choose the right one.

The choice of real men

Men should pay attention to the style of swimming trunks, in which they will find themselves in front of an ice hole. There are many varieties of swimwear for men, but apart from those designed for professional swimmers, divers and surfers, there are several types of swimming trunks designed for the general public.

Kirill Kukhmar/TASS

The first are slips and briefs, these are bathing shorts made of dense material that completely open the hips (I would like to say, of course, slim). Slips and briefs differ in the degree of frankness: the last side seam is rather narrow, so they look completely open. Both slips and briefs, quite popular in Russia, are suitable only for men with a good figure on the beach.

On Epiphany night, they should not be worn, even if you want to show off an athletic physique. This is not the time to show off the results of going to the gym.

The second type of bathing suit is short shorts, which can be either loose or tight. This is generally an ideal option - both for the beach and for the hole: moderately open, they hide everything you need, but at the same time do not interfere with movement. But the third option is Bermuda shorts, popular in the USA, that is, long shorts, although they will help to look like a modest and decent man, after leaving the cold water they will instantly freeze, and it will be very, very unpleasant for the legs.

Come on girls

Women should approach the choice of a bathing suit for Epiphany with special responsibility - after all, this is not a fashion show or a photo session for Instagram against the backdrop of sand and palm trees. In order to avoid malicious comments from deeply religious believers, we recommend giving preference to modest models of swimsuits.

From styles "Plunge" (a one-piece swimsuit with a deep neckline that reaches the navel) and "Monokini" (one-piece swimsuit with cuts on the sides or in the abdomen) should definitely be abandoned. Firstly, they look too sexy, and therefore inappropriate. Secondly, in the conditions of the Russian winter, you will look just stupid. Still, at minus 11 (and weather forecasters promise just such an air temperature in the capital region for baptism), the last thing you will think about is how effectively the swimsuit emphasizes your forms.

Despite the fact that classic one-piece swimsuits look modest, you should not wear them for Epiphany bathing.

It will be more difficult to change clothes from such a model, and it will be colder to leave the hole. Still, wet tissue on the body delivers particular discomfort.

Yuri Smityuk/TASS

The best solution would be separate swimsuits without sexual details. This is especially true for panties: classic thongs, thongs, ropes and a tanga model are best left for other occasions. For Epiphany bathing, slips and shorts are suitable.

Choose the top depending on the features of the figure. So, women with a magnificent bust should not wear a classic bodice of two triangles with thin straps. A halter (a model that ties on the back and visually lifts the chest) will also look vulgar. Better take a look at the gang. Those who by nature got a small chest were a little more lucky: you can afford any top.

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

The most important thing you need to know about the Baptism of the Lord is not when to bathe (it is absolutely not necessary to plunge into the hole on this day), but the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ himself was baptized on this day. Therefore, on January 18 in the evening and January 19 in the morning, it is important to be in the church at 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 open, as a rule, on January 19 throughout the day.

Common questions about bathing at Epiphany

Do I need to swim in the hole for Epiphany?

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

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.

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:

- 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.

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

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

Faith is not tested by bathing

- at Epiphany - a relatively new tradition. Neither in the historical literature about Ancient Russia, nor in the memoirs of pre-revolutionary Russia, I have not read that somewhere on Epiphany they cut through the ice and bathed. But there is nothing wrong with this tradition itself, you just need to understand that the Church does not force anyone to bathe in cold water.

The consecration of water is a reminder that the Lord is everywhere and everywhere, sanctifies the whole 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 the Epiphany, Epiphany bathing turns into a sport, a love of extreme sports. It is important to feel the presence of the Trinity, which permeates the entire natural being, 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 bless the water and wash themselves with it. Who bathes not the first year, let him continue to bathe. 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.

Archpriest Konstantin Ostrovsky, Rector of the Assumption Church in Krasnogorsk, Dean of the Churches of the Krasnogorsk District:

Spiritual meaning - in the blessing of water, not in bathing

- Today the Church does not forbid swimming in reservoirs, but before the revolution it was negative. Father Sergius Bulgakov in the "Handbook of a Clergyman" writes the following:

“... In some places there is a custom on this day to swim in the rivers (especially those who dressed up at Christmas time, guessed, etc., superstitiously attributing cleansing power from these sins to this bathing). Such a custom cannot be justified by a desire to imitate the example of the Savior's immersion in the water, as well as the example of the Palestinian worshipers who bathe in the Jordan River at all times. In the east, it is safe for pilgrims, because there is no such cold and frosts as we have.

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 one's life and health.

(S. V. Bulgakov, “Handbook for the Holy 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 tie bathing to pagan beliefs, there is nothing wrong with it. Whoever allows health can plunge, but you don’t need to look for some kind of spiritual meaning in this. Epiphany water has spiritual significance, but you can drink a drop of it and sprinkle yourself, and it is absurd to think that the one who bathed will definitely receive more grace than the one who drank a sip. This does not depend on receiving grace.

Not far from one of the temples of our deanery, in Opalikha, there is a clean pond, I know that the clergy of the temple bless the water there. Why not? The Typicon allows it. 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 Order 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 is not allowed to serve two liturgies a day. And so the priest serves and blesses the water in one church, and goes to two others, sometimes tens of kilometers away, to bless the water especially for the locals. Then, of course, we will allow the Great rank. Or in the Nursing Home, if it is impossible to perform the liturgy for Baptism there, you can also perform the Great Blessing of Water.

If, for example, a pious rich man wants to bless the water in his pond, there is nothing wrong with that, but in this case, you need to bless it with the Small rank.

Well, when, as in Opalikha, after the prayer behind the ambo, a procession takes place, the water in the pond is blessed, and then everyone returns to the church and finishes the liturgy, the church order is not violated. And whether the priests and parishioners will then plunge into the hole, is a private matter for everyone. You just have to be smart about it.

One of our parishioners is an experienced walrus, she even goes to walrus competitions. Naturally, she bathes with pleasure at Epiphany. But after all, people become walruses, tempering gradually. If a person is not frost-resistant, often catches a cold, it would be unreasonable on his part to climb into the hole without preparation. If he thus 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 bath 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 bodily health, perhaps mental health - cold water invigorates - but not spiritual. There is spiritual meaning in the very sacrament of consecration of water, and not in bathing. It is not so important whether a person bathes in the Epiphany hole, it is much more important whether he comes to the festive liturgy, or the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

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

In the biography 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 come with soup,” Father Alexy answered. And in the end, that person turned to God.

From this, of course, it does not follow that it is necessary to distribute prosphora to all unbelieving relatives, but the above example shows that God's grace often works in a way that is incomprehensible to us. So it is with water. A person came only for water, but perhaps through these external actions, without realizing it, he reaches out to God and in time will come to Him. In the meantime, let us rejoice that he remembers the feast of the Epiphany and generally came to the temple.

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

Bathing is just the beginning

The tradition of bathing at Epiphany is a late one. And you need to treat it depending on what a person bathes for. Let me draw an analogy with Easter. Everyone knows that on Holy Saturday tens or even hundreds of thousands of people go to the temple to bless Easter cakes.

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

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

Likewise with swimming. If a person who is 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 an encounter with God.

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

Alas, many refer to it simply as one of the extreme sports. Often bathing non-church people are accompanied by obscene jokes and immoderate drinking. Like the wall-to-wall fights that were once popular, such amusements do not bring a person one step closer to the Lord.

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

Of course, it is not necessary to swim at night, you can after the service. Our temple 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 mind if I see that a person is really doing this for the Lord. But one priest I know, a very good one, plunged into an ice hole for several years in a row and every time after that he fell ill. This means that his bathing was not pleasing to the Lord, and the Lord admonished him through illness - now he does not bathe.

I never went swimming either. It is far enough for me to travel to the nearest consecrated reservoirs, if I spend half the night on the road and swimming, I will not be able to confess the parishioners and serve the liturgy as I should. But sometimes mother and children and I poured ourselves with Epiphany water on the street, in the snow. I live outside the city, but after returning from the vigil, the whole family was doused. But it's possible outside the city, in Moscow you won't get sick like that.

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

And what about Baptism?

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

For me, these dips are just entertainment, extreme. Our people love something so extraordinary. Recently, it has become fashionable, popular to dive into the hole at Epiphany, then drink vodka, and then tell everyone about your such Russian piety.

Such a Russian tradition, like fisticuffs on Maslenitsa. It has exactly the same relation to the celebration of Epiphany as fistfights have to the celebration of Forgiveness Sunday.

January 19 is one of the most significant Christian holidays, and many do not think of it without personal participation - that is, immersion in icy Epiphany water in special ice holes. In Russia, it is customary to sanctify water at Epiphany, including on natural reservoirs, for which a cruciform hole is cut in the ice - the Jordan. Previously, first of all, those who participated in Christmas divination and disguise plunged into the hole - to wash away sins. It was also believed that evil spirits, who freely walked the earth all Christmas time, were leaving for Jordan. The water consecrated in Baptism is considered healing. The clergy wear white robes for this holiday.

It is believed that baptismal water brings spiritual and bodily health; about 600,000 people take part in Epiphany bathing in Russia on January 18 and 19 during the day.

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.

There are no hard and fast rules on how to bathe at Epiphany. But, according to custom, bathing is three times immersion in water with the head. At the same time, the believer is baptized and says "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit!" Usually, long shirts are sewn for swimming, in which a dive is made, like baptismal ones. They are the same for men and women. It is believed that if the parishioners dress in bathing suits, then the bodies on display are dissonant with traditional Christian decency.

Immersion in ice water is a lot of stress. The adrenal glands react sharply and powerfully to it, throwing into the blood a large dose of potent anti-inflammatory hormones, which are normally released a little bit at a time. They inhibit all inflammatory reactions by simply “suppressing” the immune system, helping to endure cold, and adapt the body to endure stress.

If you properly prepare for a dive, a person with average health will endure a one-time dive without difficulty. But if he is at least a little weakened, in three or four days you will have to pay for your courage.

Before diving into the hole, you should not drink alcohol - alcohol will only help to quickly hypothermia and give an extra load on the heart. You should not swim for more than one and a half minutes, also dive with your head.

Before diving, be sure to consult a doctor. For people with diabetes, arrhythmia, kidney problems, women with gynecological diseases, it is better to forget about the hole. Hypertension patients can have a stroke.

A week before diving, it is better to start preparing the body for frost. The first 3-4 days it is enough to go out on the balcony for a minute in shorts and a T-shirt. In the remaining days - add dousing with cold water. Enough one or two (in the last two days) basins of cold water.

Also, a week before swimming in the ice hole, citrus fruits, herbs, rose hips and other foods rich in vitamin C should be excluded from the diet - it stimulates the immune system, and it is not necessary to stimulate the immune system more than the act of immersion does: it will be too much, the immune system will “fall” greatly . Two hours before diving, you must definitely eat a hearty meal, that is, provide the body with “fuel”. In cold water, the body will quickly spend all its resources on heating, and not a single kilocalorie will be superfluous.

Clothing and footwear should be easy and quick to put on and take off. Dress properly. Ideally, clothes should not have fasteners at all, in extreme cases - a “zipper”. It will be problematic to fasten buttons in the cold, and even more so to tie shoelaces. Also, take a mat. You can stand on it, wiping yourself and changing clothes. The hat must be put on immediately after leaving the water.

Immediately after washing, you need to rub yourself with a terry towel and rush to a warm room. You can not be on the ice with a large crowd of people, and it is strictly forbidden to drive onto the ice by car.

Not all weather is suitable for swimming. The ideal temperature for beginners is 2 to 5 degrees below zero. You can take the risk of diving even in a harder frost, but -10 ° C is a dangerous threshold for a person trying to dive into an ice hole for the first time. You should enter the water warm and gradually. This makes it easier to bear the cold. To warm up before the procedure, you can run for several minutes, squat, do active movements. You need to enter the water slowly, at an average pace: if it is slow, you can freeze, and if it is fast, then you may experience fear, severe stress, pulse and pressure rise sharply, take your breath away. Going up to your knees, you need to rinse your face with water, wash your face. This will also prepare the body for full immersion.

You should swim in specially equipped ice holes near the shore, preferably near rescue stations, under the supervision of lifeguards. The ice hole should be well cleared of ice fragments so as not to slip and not get hurt, and to make it easier to get out. It is desirable that she has a ladder or a shallow area for easy exit from the water. You should never dive alone in case you need help. Refrain from swimming if you have a heart condition. Remember that exposure to ice water of unhardened people can lead to general hypothermia of the body. At its first signs - chills, trembling, cyanosis of the skin, lips, pain in the fingers and toes - a person needs to be helped. No need to sit in the hole until you get goosebumps. Chills are a sign that the body has begun to overcool. As soon as this is felt, immediately you need to get out of the water. On average, it is enough to stay in the water for 10 seconds - you can just dip three times, as it should be according to tradition.

With a mild degree of hypothermia, it is enough to dress the victim warmly, drink hot tea and force them to perform intense physical exercises. With moderate and severe hypothermia - rub with a woolen cloth, massage the whole body. Then dress warmly, put to bed. Warming should be gradual so that there is no sudden change in temperature.

Do not go out onto the ice unnecessarily, do not leave children unattended near a river or pond, make sure that the ice you go on is strong enough.

With the Baptism of Russia (in 988), it gradually spread among our ancestors. Blessing of water can only be performed by a priest - 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 sacred thing that is used for healing and to strengthen the mental and bodily 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, they are consecrated. 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 19, 2016, the Orthodox celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. The holiday also has the name Epiphany and is celebrated annually on January 19th. The Baptism of the Lord is one of the most ancient and revered holidays among Christians.

The rite of baptism of Christ at his request was performed by John the Baptist. During the baptism in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. At the same time, a Voice from Heaven proclaimed, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." According to Christian teachings, it was on this day that God appeared in three persons: God the Father - in the voice, the Son of God - in the flesh, the Holy Spirit - in the form of a dove. Therefore, the feast of Baptism is often called the Epiphany. The feast of the Baptism of the Lord is very important. It is believed that it was baptism that revealed to the world ...

Do I need to swim in the hole for Epiphany?

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…

While swimming in an ice baptismal font, a person experiences about the same stress as during a parachute jump. So that such a test does not turn into a subsequent decrease in immunity, it is necessary to prepare in advance for the dive, gain a positive attitude and overcome the fear of ice water. If you do everything right and take care of warm clothes, a soft towel and hot tea in advance, Epiphany will become one of the most joyful and unforgettable days in your life.

What to know

Only healthy and hardened people can swim in the hole. People with obesity, diseases of the cardiovascular system, arterial hypertension, respiratory diseases, chronic skin diseases and inflammation of the genitourinary system should not dive into Jordan. Bathing in ice water will not benefit people suffering from insomnia, as well as people with an upset psyche. Such categories of citizens can perform a ritual at home, simply by taking a contrast shower.

Orthodox people celebrate Epiphany, or Epiphany, on January 19, and the day before, on the 18th, they celebrate Epiphany Christmas Eve. There is a popular tradition among believers to bathe on this day. How to plunge into the hole at Baptism, so as not to harm your health? We will try to deal with this issue.

Baptism is an important event in the Orthodox religion

On this day, believers celebrate two events in the history of religion at once - the baptism of the Son of God by John the Baptist in the waters of the river, which was called the Jordan, and the appearance of the Trinity of God, that is, Theophany. They say that from the moment of Baptism, Jesus Christ began to come out to people.

Epiphany completes the cycle of Christmas holidays and requires special preparation. Just as a strict fast is observed before Christmas, so on the eve of Theophany it is necessary to adhere to the same strict Epiphany Christmas Eve.

Bathing in Jordan - healing of soul and body

For the holiday, they make a hole in the shape of a cross and call it “Jordan”, ...

One of the traditions at the Epiphany of the Lord is swimming in the hole. It is believed that water on Epiphany Christmas Eve, January 18, acquires healing properties. As a rule, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, a special illumination of the ice-hole is carried out. By Baptism, the reservoir is made in the shape of a cross and it is called "Jordan", after the name of the river in which Jesus Christ was baptized.

Epiphany water for Orthodox believers is a shrine. It is drunk to heal diseases and to strengthen physical and mental strength. Not everyone can decide to swim in the hole in the Epiphany - not everyone can withstand frost and icy water. If you decide to swim in the hole in the Epiphany on January 18-19, then we suggest that you first familiarize yourself with the recommendations and rules for performing this ceremony.

Rules for bathing in the hole for Epiphany

Swimming in the ice hole is a three-fold immersion in the ode with the head. In the process…

January 19 is one of the most significant Christian holidays, and many do not think of it without personal participation - that is, immersion in icy Epiphany water in special ice holes. In Russia, it is customary to sanctify water at Epiphany, including on natural reservoirs, for which a cruciform hole is cut in the ice - the Jordan. Previously, first of all, those who participated in Christmas divination and disguise plunged into the hole - to wash away sins. It was also believed that evil spirits, who freely walked the earth all Christmas time, were leaving for Jordan. The water consecrated in Baptism is considered healing. The clergy wear white robes for this holiday.

It is believed that baptismal water brings spiritual and bodily health; about 600,000 people take part in Epiphany bathing in Russia on January 18 and 19 during the day.

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, dial ...

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.

Holiday Epiphany

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

Epiphany 2017, when to swim from January 18 to January 19? Baptism itself is celebrated by Orthodox believers every year on the same date - January 19th. Bathing in the consecrated holes begins after the service in the church, Epiphany Christmas Eve. That is, already on the night of January 18-19, you can plunge into the hole.

Read more about when they bathe in the hole for Epiphany

January 18 is Epiphany Eve. The time before Epiphany or Epiphany, as this holiday is more popularly called. After the service on this night, a great purification of water takes place in all churches. Each believer, according to church laws, on Christmas Eve of this holiday must defend the service, light a candle and collect blessed water.
No church rules force people to plunge into Baptism into an ice hole.

Especially if the person is not ready for it. But, in most Russian cities, people actively join the tradition when they bathe at Epiphany on January 18 or 19. You can swim in…

If you decide to swim in the ice hole for Epiphany, you need to find specially equipped ice holes for swimming near the shore. You also need to be sure that you are under the supervision of lifeguards.

The ladder to descend into the water must be stable.

warm up

Before you plunge into the ice water, you should warm up. To do this, you need to perform a set of physical exercises. It is advisable to run, make swings with arms and legs.

This will reduce the stress for the body, which is swimming in the hole. Read more about this here.

Gradually cool down

The body needs to get used to the change in temperature. Therefore, you should undress gradually: take off your hat, after a few minutes - a scarf, a jacket, clothes, then shoes.

Properly dipping

You need to dip up to the neck without soaking your head. So you can avoid reflex vasoconstriction ...

The great holiday of Christians - Epiphany, in memory of the acceptance by Jesus Christ of the sacrament of baptism on the Jordan River, is celebrated on January 19 and which completes Christmas time. People believe that on Baptism, when water is blessed in churches and monasteries, it becomes incorruptible and may not deteriorate for many years, even if it is in a closed container. And this happens every year, and only on the day of the celebration of Epiphany. It has already become a mass tradition among the people of Kiev to plunge into the icy Dnieper waters during the celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord during a special ceremony by the clergy. On this day, ministers of Kyiv churches illuminate the Dnieper River and reservoirs, and also bless people for swimming in Jordans - specially carved in ice and consecrated holes.

Recently, bathing at Epiphany has become more and more popular. If someone decides to participate in the sacrament of Epiphany bathing, for this you should prepare in advance and take into account ...

What date is the Baptism of the Lord in 2017? This very important day for believers is celebrated in our country on January 19 every year. This holiday commemorates the event in which Jesus Christ sanctified the water with his baptism, and also showed that He is both a man and God. A distinctive feature of this winter day is the blessing of water, in all churches, as well as in some open reservoirs, a great blessing of water is performed. In addition to the fact that everyone on the day of Epiphany seeks to bring a vessel with Holy water from the church, another tradition of this holiday is swimming in an ice hole, and there are also special signs for Epiphany.

After a merry week and a half from Christmas, with fortune-telling and dressing up in mummers, people would like to wash these sins off themselves, and some dare to dive into the hole, despite the frosty days. In addition, Epiphany water has healing powers, and swimming in the consecrated hole promises good health for the whole year. Water tends to remember information, therefore, having absorbed ...

To answer the question of when they bathe in the hole for Epiphany 2017, you just need to look at the church calendar to see what day this big holiday falls on. The Orthodox calendar indicates that Epiphany in 2017, like other years before that, is celebrated on January 19th.

Although, the question of bathing in the hole among believers arises due to the fact that festive services are held in churches on the 18th and the blessing of water, including in the hole, is held at night from January 18 to 19. Well, since the consecration has taken place, and the very day of the feast of Epiphany has come, then you can, among other things, plunge into the hole during the night from the 18th to the 19th.

Jordan - hole for Baptism

In addition to the fact that it is important to determine when they bathe in the hole for Epiphany 2017, it is important to remember other important traditions and features of the holiday. In particular, on the day of Theophany (the second name of the feast of Epiphany in honor of the fact that when ...

For many unchurched people, Baptism is only the blessing of water and swimming in the hole. This is partly true, because every year more and more people come to swim in the hole on this day: believers and undecided, baptized and atheists, hardened and afraid of the cold, healthy and sick. Having plunged into the icy January water, everyone comes out of the hole happy, spiritualized, warmed up. Because, they say, on Epiphany the water in the hole is “warm”.

What date to swim in 2017

This Christian Orthodox holiday belongs to the permanent twelfth holidays and is celebrated every year on the same day - January 19th. And in 2017, to the question of what date to bathe in 2017, the answer remains the same - January 19.

In fact, swimming begins on the evening of January 18th. Immediately after the evening service, the priest, together with the parish, goes on a religious procession to the reservoir to bless the water. On the night of January 18-19, water in all rivers, lakes, seas ...

The Feast of Epiphany is celebrated every year on January 6 by Catholics and January 19 by Orthodox believers, according to the official modern calendar. This holiday is associated with the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

The holiday begins on the evening of January 18, when all Orthodox celebrate Epiphany Eve.
The Feast of Epiphany closes the twelve holy days. On this day, the Church celebrates the entry of Jesus Christ on the path of serving people, the beginning of his preaching.

Christmas and Epiphany, connected by Christmas time, make up a single celebration - the feast of the Epiphany. It is in the unity of these feasts that all three persons of the Holy Trinity appear to us.

On the day of Epiphany, everywhere in churches, on rivers, lakes, water blessing is performed, the rite of consecrating water in an ice hole made in the form of an Orthodox cross.

Consecration of water at the Baptism of the Lord

The Lord created water as the element of life, but human sin made it the source of death. When human sin multiplied by...

So the New Year holidays have come to an end. Tomorrow is Baptism. And although the weather outside my window is not Epiphany at all - there are puddles on the pavement from the night rain, which means that

the temperature outside is above zero - for me, Epiphany remains one of the most mysterious and enigmatic holidays. On this day, the Universe opens the veil and we can find out our future, solve seemingly insoluble problems, and get answers to our questions.

If anyone does not know, Epiphany as a holiday is established in honor of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. The ritual of baptism itself implies repentance, deliverance from sins. And although Jesus had nothing to repent of, he, showing humility, accepted Baptism from John and thereby sanctified the water nature with himself. Since then, on the day of Epiphany, all the world's waters, the waters of the entire Earth - from a small stream to the oceans - become holy on this day. This also applies to tap water. You don't have to go to church to get holy water....

With the baptism of Russia, all Orthodox began to celebrate a great holiday - Baptism. On Epiphany Christmas Eve, all parishioners go with the priest to the local reservoir, in which they make a hole in the shape of a cross, called "Jordan". It is here that all believers will have to swim in cold water, and how to dip in correctly will be described in this article.

How should you immerse yourself in Baptism?

There are certain clear rules for immersion in water, which are primarily for the purpose of safety. On a specially installed ladder, you need to quickly and decisively go down to a depth that will allow the water to reach approximately chest level. Crossing himself and saying: “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit!” you need to plunge headlong into the water three times and immediately get ashore. If you stay in the hole for no more than 20-30 seconds, then there will be no hypothermia and such a ritual will not harm your health.

For those who are interested in whether it is necessary to plunge headlong into Baptism, it is worth noting that it is not necessary. You can not go into the water at all if a person is not mentally ready for this and his faith is not so strong to overcome his own. You can just scoop up some water from the hole and wash yourself with it.

How to plunge into baptism for the first time?

First of all, you need to properly equip yourself and be sure to take a set of dry clothes with you. What you need to perform the ritual:

• towel;
• a set of dry clothes;
• swimsuit or swimming trunks, but it is best to bring a long shirt, the same for men and women and specially designed for traditional Christian decency;
• slippers in which you can walk to the shore;
• rubber cap. Useful for those who do not want to wet their hair;
• thermos with hot tea.

It is better to put on a bathing suit at home right away, top with thermal underwear, socks, a sweater and trousers. Complete the outfit with warm comfortable shoes, a jacket, mittens and a hat. In the cold, you need to undress from the bottom up, but to dress - on the contrary. Socks are removed last, and those who feel that they are starting to freeze are advised to do a little warm-up. You can jump, run a little.

Is it useful to plunge into the hole at Epiphany?

Orthodox believe that bathing in the Jordan helps to get rid of many ailments. In many ways, it is thanks to faith that diseases recede, but the stressful situation that is created when in contact with cold water also matters here. Short-term exposure to low temperatures activates the body's defenses: the body temperature rises to values ​​at which viruses, bacteria and other pathogens die.

Who should not be immersed in Baptism?

Those who have acute and chronic diseases in the acute stage. This is especially true for those ailments that affect:

It is very important to follow safety rules when swimming. Do not dive under the ice, as there is a chance that you will not find an ice hole later. Special places for swimming are always equipped with a strong thick rope with knots. It is necessary not to let it out of your hands and use it to get out of the water. It is good if there is a rescue station near the hole, and the whole ritual will take place under the supervision of rescuers. Those who take children with them should not let go of their hands when diving, because a frightened baby can easily forget that he can swim.