On January 19, Orthodox Christians celebrate one of the Twelve Great Feasts: the Baptism of Our Lord, or Epiphany. On the night of January 19, as became traditional after the Baptism of Russia, many church-goers immerse themselves in baptismal fonts and bodies of water, regardless of the weather.
On January 19, Orthodox Christians celebrate one of the Twelve Great Feasts: the Baptism of Our Lord, or Epiphany. On the night of January 18-19, as became traditional after the Baptism of Russia, many church-goers immerse themselves in baptismal fonts and bodies of water, despite the weather.
On this holiday the church-goers remember how, aged 30, Jesus Christ came to the Jordan River from Galilee to be baptized by John the Baptist.
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© RIA Novosti . Alexandr Kriazhev
“And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: And there came a voice from heaven, [saying], Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mar 1:10; Mar 1:11), the Gospel of Mark says. And thus, the world saw the Holy Trinity.
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© RIA Novosti . Alexandr Kriazhev
… so, the Baptism of Our Lord is also called Epiphany.
Each year on the Baptism of Our Lord and on its eve the Great Blessing of Waters traditionally takes place in Orthodox churches. After the service many priests bless nearby bodies of water: lakes, rivers, and ponds.
Christians believe that blessed water brings spiritual and physical health. Photo: residents of Veliky Novgorod immersing themselves in the iordan’ on the Volkhov River.
This tradition of immersion on the Baptism of Our Lord exists in all Christian countries; in Russia it appeared after the adoption of Christianity, and the subzero temperatures pose no hindrance to believers.
On the Eve of Epiphany many priests accompany church-goers to a body of water, where a hole in the ice has already been cut. This hole in the ice is called a iordan’ after the Jordan River. The priest blesses the water in the iordan’, and then people can immerse their head in the water three times, crossing themselves and saying, “In the name of Father, Son and Holy Spirit”
Muscovites take part in traditional Baptismal immersions in the iordan’ in the Kolomenskoye historical museum and nature reserve, the site of several ancient churches.
Immersion on Epiphany is believed to help cure various illnesses.
The tradition is about displaying one’s readiness to follow Christ, who entered the water of the Jordan River.
But it is not obligatory for Orthodox Christians to immerse themselves in icy water on this day. Priests say that the best proof of one’s love for God is receiving Holy Communion on this day.
Epiphany bathing at the Iversky monastery on Lake Valdai, northwest Russia.
Novosibirsk residents diving into an ice hole on the Ob River
Novosibirsk residents diving into an ice hole on the Ob River
