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How much time can be immersed in baptism. Recommendations for those wishing to plunge into the icy water on Epiphany night

Many people ask - what date is Epiphany in 2018? What can be done on this holiday, and what can not? When to swim in the hole? How to collect water correctly, and what properties does it have? How to store holy water and what can it be used for?

According to established church tradition, the date Baptism or Theophany of the Lord falls invariably on the night of January 18-19. This is one of the most famous twelfth holidays, which is celebrated by Christians to cleanse themselves of sins, draw closer to God and feel his grace. On Epiphany on January 19, 2018, it is customary to swim in the hole (Jordan), draw water from springs, visit the temple, and do good. Also, in honor of the holiday, the Orthodox give each other small gifts and invite each other to visit.

What should be done at Baptism?

Orthodox Christians on the evening of January 18 (or on the morning of January 19) visit a temple or church where festive services are held. On this day, it is customary to dress in the most elegant clothes, be in a good mood, pray and take home water consecrated in the Church. Since after visiting the temple, many people plan to plunge into the hole or into the font, before this action they need to confess and take communion.

Many note that on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, a special atmosphere is felt in the Church - solemn, festive, sublime. Many Orthodox feel that during the church service “as if the grace of God descends on them”, people feel peace and spiritual purification.

Blessing of water - when to draw water for the Baptism of the Lord 2018

During this bright day, all water - from springs, reservoirs, from the tap - acquires unique cleansing properties. With its help, you can heal ailments, mental and bodily ailments. Such water is suitable for sprinkling rooms in order to improve the atmosphere in them. It is also used to calm crying babies, as well as to improve sick animals. Epiphany water, consecrated in the Church, is called agiasma.

You can draw water for Epiphany already on January 18, after the evening liturgy, this time is called Epiphany Christmas Eve. The clergyman conducts the rite of the Blessing of Water in the temple, and then distributes the blessed water to everyone.

Water blessing is also carried out in the open air. You can collect water from the springs in the morning, as well as in the afternoon on January 19th. The water collected at this time has miraculous powers. Many people stock up on holy water for future use in order to use it during the year if necessary.

Keep in mind - water collected per day can only be stored in glass containers. Plastic bottles are not suitable for storing it! In glass, water can be preserved all year long without losing its strength and healing properties. It is recommended to drink Epiphany water on an empty stomach in order to feel vigorous and healthy.

Swimming in the hole for Epiphany 2018

Epiphany is a holiday when it is customary to plunge into the hole or "Jordan". How to swim properly, what should be done? Many people often have a logical question - when do they bathe in the hole at the Epiphany of the Lord - on January 18 or 19? And is it necessary to do so? And where is the best place to swim on Epiphany?

Correctly swim in jordan-on the night of January 19, from midnight (00:00) to 01:30. To plunge into the hole should be after its consecration by the clergyman. Epiphany consecration of water is carried out with a prayer, after which the priest lowers a silver cross into the hole. Didn't have time to take a dip at night? No problem! You can dive into the water (as well as gain it) on January 19 throughout the day.

Keep in mind - the Church does not force anyone to bathe! Immersion in water must be performed by the Orthodox of his own free will. To receive a blessing and be cleansed of sins, you can simply go to Church, pray and repent at confession.

Who can not dive into the hole

In order not to harm yourself, keep in mind that there are contraindications to this ritual. You should not go into ice water if you have such diseases as:

  • Colds, SARS
  • Any chronic illness
  • Heart problems
  • Diseases of the genitourinary system
  • Weakened immunity

Diabetics, pregnant women, newborn babies and small children should not bathe in the font.

Where to swim on Epiphany?

Bathing can be carried out in any natural or artificial reservoir, in an ice-hole, in a spring, on a river. In every city and town there are special places where townspeople or villagers go to bathe in holy water. Organized places of Epiphany bathing can be recognized by the following features:

  • "Jordan" carved in the shape of an Orthodox cross
  • The ice hole has wooden decks and stairs.
  • Tents with heat guns for changing clothes are located nearby
  • An ambulance, a brigade of the Ministry of Emergency Situations is on duty near the hole
  • After bathing, everyone is given hot tea to warm them up.

Bathing rules in Epiphany

Ablution in Jordan is not a fun entertainment, but a church sacrament. Near the consecrated font, you can’t make a fuss, and even more so use profanity. You can not come in a state of intoxication, as this is a sin.

You should go into the water with prayer. You need to plunge into the hole with your head three times, while repeating three times to yourself or out loud “ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” and cross over himself.

It is highly desirable that when swimming you wear not only a bathing suit, but also a long shirt (T-shirt) that hides your body from prying eyes.

If there is no source in your locality where you can take a bath, do not be discouraged! Instead of complete immersion, simply pour consecrated water from a bucket over yourself - this action is also equated with Epiphany bathing.

Epiphany water has a spiritual meaning, and it doesn’t matter how a person joins the saint - he completely plunges into the hole, pours it on himself or drinks a sip of holy water. Grace equally descends on everyone who on this holiday was involved in the sacrament of the Blessing of the Water.

The holiday itself goes far back in the ancient past, to the times of the apostles. In those days, it was called in a completely different way: “Epiphany”, which in principle means Epiphany and the second name is “the feast of Lights”. It is connected with the fact that on this day God comes to our world in order to endow it with the Inaccessible Light. And from the name Baptism came from the Greek. The words I baptize, baptize, in translation mean immersion in water. From here came one of the most important traditions of Baptism, namely, to swim in the consecrated waters of the ice holes of rivers and lakes. Water personifies life, in principle, as it destroys. Just remember the global flood, which God sent to the whole world in order to wash away the sins of men.
As mentioned above, on the eve of Epiphany on January 18, Epiphany Christmas Eve comes. On this day, you must observe a strict fast, pray and repent of your sins, in order to plunge into the blessed waters at night from 18 to 19. The name Christmas Eve comes from the food on the eve of the holiday - juicy. In addition to this dish of boiled grains with dried fruits, poppy seeds and nuts, nothing else can be eaten.





From the moment the Feast of Epiphany arose, holes have been cut throughout the country in rivers and lakes, called Jordans, for everyone to swim. It is true that having bathed in the hole, you are thus cleansed of all sins. According to the church, no, because sins can only be repented at confession in the church. There is another opinion about bathing, it is believed that you will be healthy all year round. Opinions in this regard may also differ, because people suffering from some complex diseases are generally forbidden to dive into an ice hole in ice water. As for me, once I dived, the sensations were indescribable. I flew out of the water as if from a “stove”, there was darkness around, and think for yourself how in a huge crowd of people to figure out where your things are and where to run. Those who have tried will understand. As for health, well, the whole year I didn’t get sick, not counting the usual runny nose. But this does not mean at all that thanks to bathing for baptism, I did not get sick. And I want to believe, and it's hard to believe, although it is possible. Also, it is not recommended to bathe children in the ice holes, especially if they themselves do not want to.

As for the questions, what time to swim at Epiphany and when to swim: January 18 or 19? There is only one answer to swim, starting from 12 o'clock on the 19th and all day. By the way, after bathing, many immediately take strong drinks, which is also not recommended, otherwise the consequences can be unpredictable.





Consecrated water for Baptism can be taken in the church. Although many believe that holy water flows from the tap all day and, not caring about going to church, they collect it at home. What is most surprising and incomprehensible to me so far is that such tap water will stand all year and not deteriorate. So miracles, so miracles! By the way, you can collect water already, starting from January 18. Although many people believe that the water collected on January 18 is called the Epiphany, and the water collected on the 19th Epiphany, this is the same water, consecrated once. So there is no difference when to take water for Baptism or Epiphany.

How to celebrate Epiphany

Of course, it is best to start celebrating in the church, having defended the service, praying to God, then at midnight, swimming in the hole. You can also do divination at Baptism. They say whatever you say will come true. There is an interesting divination I have tested on wax from a candle. For him you will need a candle, matches, a plate. Light a candle, and when the wax begins to melt, you start asking what worries you more, then gently tilting the candle so that it does not go out, dripping drop by drop onto a plate. You can stop at any time, in principle, when you ask the same question three times. Then, according to the outlines of the wax on the plate, see the silhouettes of what happened. Here it will be necessary to include fantasy. There is nothing difficult to decipher. I already wrote about other fortune-telling in an article about, they can also be applied to Baptism.





There are several true signs.
1. It is believed that after the holiday is over, the cold will begin to recede.
2. If the weather is warm on Epiphany, then the weather will also be warm on Easter.
3. If dogs bark on the day of Epiphany, then the table will be full of all kinds of food.
4. If you see a full month in the sky at Epiphany, then there will be a lot of water.
5. If the starry night is on the day of Epiphany, then the summer will be warm and dry, and there will also be a harvest of berries and fruits.
6. If it snows on such a day, then there will be a harvest of bread and honey.
These and many other signs come from our great-... great-... grandmothers. And many of them still come true. It remains only to decide for yourself whether you believe in it or not.

Congratulations on the Baptism



I hasten to congratulate you
With the Baptism of the Lord,
For joy to surround you
All year long, including today!

I wish you love and happiness from the bottom of my heart,
For the Lord to save
From all adversity and all misfortunes.
I wish you not to get sick
Let sorrow follow you with your eyes
I wish you I do not grow old
Love and faith were close!

I want to congratulate you on the Baptism of the Lord!!!
With a great holiday of the soul!
I hasten to congratulate you today
To the joy of home, happiness and love!

May the Lord bless you with health
Let the children please
May you have today
To happen happiness without loss.

Epiphany -
Great holiday!
I wish you today
Friends reliable, different!

to drink love,
And believe only in miracles
smile more often
And enjoy happiness!
With the Baptism of the Lord, gentlemen!!!

In the coming days, consecrated baptismal water can be easily taken in Orthodox churches. On January 18 and 19, of course, there will be many people interested. But in most temples, water is consecrated in excess and distributed to those who wish after the holiday.

Christians do not distinguish between Epiphany water either by the date of consecration (January 18 or 19), or by place (the Cathedral of Christ the Savior or a tiny chapel in a strict regime colony in the Kostroma region), or by the name of the priest ( His Holiness Patriarch Kirill or a young priest who came only from the seminary), nor by source (water or spring). The main thing is that this water should be consecrated by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in memory of the baptism of the Lord. The consecration of water is a church Christian event. It cannot take place outside the church.

The vast majority of our citizens have the opportunity to come to the temple, pray and take water. Therefore, it is obvious that simply water from rivers, lakes, springs or from the shower cannot in any way be considered holy baptismal water either on the eve of the feast of the Epiphany, or at midnight, or on the holiday itself.

How much water should be taken?

The desire of many to stock up on Epiphany water for the year ahead and drink it every day is quite understandable. There is a belief that this water will not bloom and will be just as pure and tasty for many months. For some, this is an additional reason to stock up.

And yet, there is no point in large reserves of consecrated water. Christians are sure that God is in no way connected and cannot be connected with the amount of water drunk. God does not charge water, does not saturate it with anything. He works through her Himself. This means that one sip or a few drops are enough if they are drunk with faith in Christ and the hope of help.

Some believers, on the basis that "a drop of holy water can bless the sea," simply "dilute" the holy water as it is used. And this seems to me wiser than multi-liter yearly reserves. I know from experience that one and a half to two liters of consecrated water is a sufficient supply for a year for a whole family.

What is the meaning of the holiday?

It is clear that to trust the words of the evangelists or not is everyone's business. It is important to understand and acknowledge that for Christians, the feast of the Epiphany consists, first of all, in the remembrance and joyful experience of three mysteries that are very deeply connected with the very essence of Christianity as a religion. I have tried to explain these mysteries in the above articles. Here I will limit myself to enumeration. The events of the Baptism of the Lord reveal the Trinity of the Godhead: God Himself manifests Himself, as they say, in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We also learn about the God-manhood of Christ: the Father testifies that Jesus, the son of Mary, is also the Son of God. And finally, we learn about the mission of Jesus: He came to take the sin of the world on Himself in order to save people. It is important for us that Christians see in the baptism of Jesus evidence of the appearance of the One Who is not afraid to share with people not only the joy of life, but also the consequences of sin and even death itself.

Photo: www.globallookpress.com

What is holy water for?

For Christians, holy water is far from the main thing in life. They may have it in the house, they may not have it, they may drink it regularly, they may not drink it at all. And all this because they have the One in whom they believe, the One who is always and everywhere with them.

Having become a tradition over the centuries, swimming in the hole made in the reservoir during the ancient Christian holiday of Epiphany raises many questions among people of different confessions and non-believers. This is really a way of physical and spiritual purification of a person, or a beautiful tribute to fashion. What happens at the time of immersion in an ice font and who will benefit from such a procedure.

Traditions of the Feast of the Epiphany

Epiphany on January 19 and the very tradition of dipping into an ice font dates back to 988, since the introduction of Christianity in Kievan Rus. According to the biblical story, Jesus, at his personal request, was baptized on this very day. During the ceremony by John the Baptist, Jesus was in the waters of the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove and a voice from above, proclaiming him the son of God. This event became the basis of the holiday. The very word baptize in translation from ancient Greek means directly immersion in water. It is believed that God made holy water with his baptism, that is, it has special healing properties. Considering that water in the Old Testament is considered the basis of all life, the importance of this tradition becomes clear.

After the Divine Liturgy, water is blessed in all churches. At this time of the Blessing of Water, all water elements are also endowed with miraculous qualities. For the Epiphany bathing in the cruciform hole, crowded processions are made, in Christianity called the Procession to the Jordan. It is believed that a body washed with holy water, like a purified soul that believes in the Savior, will receive health and blessings, and will join the sacrament of the Holy Trinity. In addition to the Christian overtones, the tradition of such bathing has been known since the time of the ancient Scythians and earlier pagan rites. In this way, they were initiated into warriors, healed, tempered newborns to adapt to the harsh climate.

Features of swimming in the hole

On the day of the Feast of the Epiphany, for accessibility to everyone, specially equipped in accordance with all safety rules, ice holes are specially arranged in the reservoirs in the form of a cross. After the consecration of the hole, people can draw water, wash themselves, and the most determined ones can take a dip. If the body is relatively adapted to the cold, then the mood before bathing is of great importance. The living structure of water is able to change under the influence of certain information, therefore, plunging into the hole, you need to tune in only to a positive influence. Directly during immersion in the human body, many processes take place at lightning speed:

  • under short-term exposure to cold, the cerebral cortex and central nervous system are mobilized, which is positive for the body;
  • a stressful situation leads to a jump in immunity, pain relief, removal of inflammation, spasms, edema;
  • under the influence of cold water, internal forces are released, the body temperature can reach 40 ° for a few seconds, causing the death of pathogenic microbes, viruses, cells;
  • the thermal conductivity of water is 28 times greater than air, which gives a huge hardening effect.

Considering the listed advantages of the procedure of dipping in cold water, we can confidently talk about its benefits. Despite the fact that in principle, special physical preparation for such a bath is not required, in some cases there may be a number of difficult moments. Without fear, official medicine recommends dipping to middle-aged men and women without complex pathologies. In any case, the sacrament of bathing at Baptism is a deeply individual decision for each person.

How to properly bathe in Epiphany

In addition to the appropriate mood, such bathing requires compliance with certain rules that help to conduct the ceremony correctly and safely. The main point, especially in case of mass holding, is the presence of a specially equipped hole. The ice-hole should be arranged at a water depth of not more than 1.8 m, well fenced to avoid accidental falls, equipped with steps and handrails for descent. Everyone who wants to plunge into the hole should have a swimsuit or swimming trunks, a warm bathrobe, a towel, a set of dry clothes, underwear, slippers or woolen socks.

Before starting, it is recommended to warm up a little, for example, to jog, do squats or simple exercises. In this case, the body should not be sweaty, but only hot. To prevent a sharp narrowing of the vessels of the brain, it is not necessary to wet the head, but it is better to dip only on the neck. You can’t jump into the hole, you have to start diving from your feet. Swimming is not recommended, after 3 dipping it is better to immediately go out and not be in the water for more than 1 minute. Immediately after bathing, you need to rub yourself with a towel, put on dry linen and clothes without delay. Often a towel may not even come in handy, as the skin dries out instantly. But following church rules, when swimming in the Epiphany hole, you must plunge headlong three times. At the same time, there should be a short sincere prayer addressed to God, according to the Orthodox, this charges the water with tremendous power.

Bathing contraindications

It is strictly forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages immediately before bathing and after it. Alcohol in the blood has a bad effect on the state of thermoregulation of the body, sometimes with unforeseen consequences. Under its influence, the vessels dilate, increasing the flow of heat. Some time after use, a person may feel a surge of heat, but then, the opposite effect occurs abruptly and you can seriously catch a cold. Also, you can not smoke, as blood circulation is disturbed. Immediately after dipping, it is better to drink herbal decoction or hot tea. Swimming in a cold hole on a full or empty stomach is harmful.

With the obvious benefits of Epiphany bathing, the category of contraindications includes the presence of chronic or acute diseases. These include disorders of the cardiovascular, endocrine and nervous systems, as well as all kinds of inflammation of the genitourinary system, nasopharynx, otitis media. It is not recommended to plunge into the ice hole if you have suffered injuries of encephalitis, epilepsy and other complex pathologies. To avoid harm and get only benefit, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

When to bathe at 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 prepares for the Epiphany slowly, deciding with his family who will be honored after confession and communion, according to the old Russian tradition, 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, paradoxical reactions can be expected 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 this.

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 consider 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 unusual. 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.