Russia: Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany by diving into icy waters

Monday 20th January 2025 09:26 AM

the essential
To celebrate the feast of Epiphany, Orthodox Christians dove into icy rivers, lakes and seas, wearing only swimsuits, on Sunday January 19.

It’s a tradition. Whatever the outside temperatures. On this Epiphany Day in Russia, Sunday January 19, Orthodox Christians took the plunge. Wearing only swimsuits, they bathed in icy waters of rivers, lakes or seas

According to tradition, one must dive three times below the surface of the water to symbolize the Holy Trinity, in memory of Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River. Every year, Russians do not hesitate to dig a hole in the ice to respect tradition.

An Orthodox Christian plunges into icy water during the celebration of the Epiphany holiday in Moscow: January 19, 2025.
AFP

Orthodox Christians dive into icy water during the celebration of the Epiphany holiday in Moscow, January 19, 2025.
AFP

Vladimir Putin lent himself to the tradition in recent years but he has no longer followed it since 2021, indicates The Moscow Times.

A priest blesses a believer who bathes in the water of the Siverskyi Donets River in Svyatogirsk, Donetsk region, January 19, 2025.
AFP

The water seems very icy for this young swimmer!
AFP

A woman bathes in the cold waters of the Siverskyi Donets River in Svyatogirsk, Donetsk region, January 19, 2025.
AFP

In Russia, the tradition of Epiphany baths dates back to the conversion of Prince Vladimir of kyiv to Christianity in 988, and took on impressive proportions.

The custom is shared in Ukraine, Belarus and the former Soviet republics which have Orthodox minorities. The Orthodox Churches have retained the “Julian” calendar (introduced by Julius Caesar), which has a 13-day difference from the Western “Gregorian” calendar which became the civil calendar. January 6, the feast of the Epiphany, therefore falls on January 19.

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