January 26, 2020

Russians Celebrate Epiphany in Ice-Cold Water


Russians Celebrate Epiphany in Ice-Cold Water
Would you want to take a dip here? RIA Novosti archive, image #550903 / Vitaliy Ankov / CC-BY-SA 3.0 [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]

More than two million believers took part in Epiphany Day celebrations on January 19. This holiday is dedicated to Jesus Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River.

There are many ways to mark this holiday, but they all involve water. Priests bless water, which is believed to then maintain special properties; for example, the water allegedly won’t go sour when it’s stored for long periods. In addition, it is said to heal bodily and spiritual diseases and drive away evil spirits.

There’s also a folk tradition of being immersed in ice-cold water to symbolize Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan. The night before or the day of Epiphany, thousands of believers dunk themselves three times in icy water to embrace their faith. Doctors recommend no more than 30 seconds in the water, to avoid hypothermia, and suggest going in only up to one's chin, without dunking your entire head underwater. Other experts aver that there are some benefits from the cold, such as strengthening the immune system and developing the cardiovascular system.

In the week following Epiphany, many cities organized volunteer clean-up opportunities for locals to help pick up cups, slippers, towels, and other trash leftover from the celebrations. For example, in the Chelyabinsk region, around 102 baptismal-style dunkings were organized, with over 40,000 people participating. The region had a  large-sale volunteer clean-up day yesterday.

Tags: epiphany
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Frogs Who Begged...
November 01, 2010

Frogs Who Begged...

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955