Where did the tradition of swimming in the ice-hole come from? Epiphany, baptism and immersion swimming in an ice hole Ice hole for baptism as it is called

On January 19, a big church holiday is celebrated - Epiphany,one of the twelve major Christian holidays. The day of Baptism is called the Epiphany, because, according to the Gospel, at the moment of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan, God was manifested in three hypostases - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One of the traditions of our people is connected with this holiday - swimming in an ice-hole with three immersions in ice water. But such a holiday scenario is not suitable for everyone, and it is not only the state of health of the "walrus".

History of the feast of the Epiphany

The Feast of the Epiphany, which is often called the Epiphany, is one of the oldest Christian holidays. On this day, believers remember how Jesus, having reached the age of 30, began his sermon. For this, he chose not some official place, but the Jordan River, where at that time many people flocked to see the prophet and God's chosen one Johncalled the Baptist. John preached the imminent coming of the Messiah, that is, the Savior, and called the Israelites to repentance - to renounce evil, unrighteous deeds and deeds. As a sign of repentance, according to an ancient custom, John dipped those who came into the water, which was called immersion, and later - baptism.

John considered his main ministry to glorify and instruct the people of Christ. This is exactly what happened when Jesus, among others, entered the waters of the Jordan. According to John himself and eyewitnesses, the Holy Spirit in the form of a pure white dove descended on Jesus, and from heaven there was a voice: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." After that, John announced to his disciples and followers that his mission had been fulfilled, that now they and all the Israelites should follow Jesus and become his disciples.

For Christians, the Feast of the Epiphany consists, first of all, in the remembrance and joyful experience of three mysteries, very deeply connected with the very essence of Christianity as a religion. The events of the Lord's Baptism reveal the Trinity of the Godhead: God Himself manifests Himself, as they say, in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We 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 upon Himself, to save people. It is important for us that Christians see in the baptism of Jesus the 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.

Bathing Orthodox Christians in open sources on the Epiphany is a tribute to the memory of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan. Usually the hole is cut in the shape of a cross, they call it “Jordan”.

Holy water - a symbol or a panacea?

The church service on January 19 is associated with the consecration of the water element: the Orthodox take water from the Epiphany font, because according to tradition, all water on this day is considered healing and capable of curing many diseases.

Just don't think that holy water is some kind of magical substance that once and for all frees a person from some kind of bodily ailments or automatically cleansing from our many sins. By itself, a miracle does not happen - God requires the participation of man in his own salvation. Simple diving into an ice-hole does not guarantee the sanctity of the person who committed this. Christianity is not paganism; it requires a person's work to correct his soul and, accordingly, his life. Any shrine, including holy baptismal water, can be useful to us only if we treat it as a gift from God, that is, with reverence, in a Christian way. Otherwise, not only will there be no benefit, but such a consumerist-pagan attitude will also harm us.

Moreover, there are cases when, in an effort to be the first to receive holy water, people behave, to put it mildly, not like human beings: fights and fights begin among especially zealous "water worshipers". But God requires us to behave in a human way, read - in a Christian way.

There are also opinions that in Baptism it is generally not worthwhile to climb into an ice-hole for self-satisfaction with bathing, especially for people who consider it the most effective proof of their faith, but no longer lift a finger in order to save the soul, in order to break out of the power of sin.

S.V. Bulgakova in her "Handbook for clergymen" (1913) writes that Christians have a great reverence for sanctified water since ancient times: “Consecrated water is called in the Orthodox Church the great agiasma (shrine). The Church uses this shrine to sprinkle churches and dwellings, and assigns it to those who cannot be admitted to Holy Communion. Since ancient times, pious Christians also have a custom at the evening or on the very feast of Epiphany to draw blessed water for their home use and keep it with holy icons. " This water is used for the consecration of temples, altars, the holy chalice for communion, holy icons, etc. For the sacrament of baptism, the water in the font is consecrated in a different way and with appropriate prayers. Above the baptismal water, they pray to God for “those who receive communion (drinking reverently), sprinkle and smear themselves” with holy water, but not for those who bathe in the shrine.

The benefits and harms of Epiphany bathing

If you nevertheless decide to plunge into Jordan on Epiphany night, then well assess your health and the possible consequences of the ice shock for the body.

It is advisable to prepare for the procedure in advance. It is best to train the body by hardening in the bathroom - by pouring cold water, gradually lowering the degree regime. Beginners should not swim if the water is below ten degrees. Seasoned walruses should be careful when lowering the temperature threshold to minus 20.

You should cool down gradually: first take off your outerwear, after a few minutes - your shoes, then undress to the waist and rub your body with any fatty cream or olive oil. Bring a rug that you can stand on while undressing and getting dressed, and a rubber cap.

A simple warm-up will help reduce the negative effects of ice water - it should consist of several physical exercises and light jogging. But in any case, do not use alcohol "for warming"! It narrows the vessels and keeps you warm, and besides, it negates the entire Christian background of this festive tradition.

Only after careful preparation is it worth entering the water. You should stay in the water no longer than 1-2 minutes, while you must be actively moving - moving your legs and arms, spinning your whole body.

After bathing, you need to rub yourself with a terry towel, cover your head to avoid hypothermia, and rush to a warm room where you can drink hot tea.

After plunging into the ice hole, many people develop a feeling of euphoria and heat throughout the body - this is how the initial stage of shock manifests itself. A lot of adrenaline and endorphins are released into the blood, the body prepares for the worst, depleting its reserves. But this sensation does not last long and often ends with a prolonged illness a few days after the "swim". For those who did not prepare for dipping, for example, did not carry out hardening, such a procedure can be extremely dangerous. Possible consequences include heart attack, various heart rhythm disturbances: extrasystoles, paroxysm of fibrillation, etc., stroke, convulsions. Quite often, among the consequences is ARVI and even pneumonia, which develops as a result of severe hypothermia.

The likelihood of infection is also high, since Epiphany fonts are places of mass gathering of people, and therefore, various infections - viruses, fungi, bacteria. Against the background of a sharp decrease in immunity, which occurs when dipping, it becomes as easy to pick up the disease.

Bathing is categorically contraindicated for people with cardiovascular diseases, bronchopulmonary, gynecological diseases, diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy and a tendency to seizures, with kidney inflammation, thyroid diseases, infectious diseases. It is also strictly forbidden for children to swim in the frost, since small children have an imperfect thermoregulation system.

To swim or not, you decide, you just need to realistically assess your health.

It should be borne in mind that the pious custom of bathing in the consecrated water of Jordan is not is mandatory and bathing in Jordan does not absolve one from sins. Only repentance cleanses from sins.

They cut the Jordan in the ice with an ordinary chainsaw - the ice in the middle lane freezes in winter no more than 15 centimeters. It is important to drain the oil from the saw before starting, so that later you do not have to clear the water from streaks.

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They also make ice holes to prevent fish from being killed in winter in reservoirs with stagnant or weakly running water.

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On January 19, the Orthodox celebrate the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, or the Holy Epiphany.

One of the main traditions for Epiphany is to plunge into the Jordan. Orthodox Christians living on the territory of Russia cut an ice-hole in the ice (which is called "Jordan").

It is worth noting that the custom of dipping into an ice hole is not directly related to the very feast of the Baptism of the Lord, it is not mandatory and does not cleanse a person from sins. Both dipping into an ice-hole and pouring over is not enough to consider yourself baptized and sinless. Priests remind that in order to receive forgiveness, it is necessary to sincerely repent and confess. Nevertheless, the custom of plunging into the baptismal font was accepted as part of the popular celebration.

Security measures

Plunging into an ice hole in frost is associated with a certain risk, therefore, precautions must be taken.

Immersion in ice water is very stressful even for a strong body. At the same time, the adrenal glands release a large dose of potent anti-inflammatory hormones into the bloodstream, which are normally secreted a little. Hormones suppress inflammatory reactions, simply "drowning" the immune system, help to endure cold, and adapt the body to the effects of stress.

With proper preparation for a dive, a person of average health can easily transfer ice-hole diving. But if the body is weakened, after three or four days you can pay off for courage. According to the therapist Boris Skachko, the effect of adrenal hormones lasts a maximum of two days. After that, their deficit arises. The body weakens dramatically and becomes sensitive to any infections.

1. Before diving, be sure to consult a doctor. For people with diabetes, arrhythmias, kidney problems, women with gynecological diseases, alas, it is better to forget about the ice hole. Hypertensive patients may even have a stroke.

2. A week before dipping, 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. On the remaining days, add cold water dousing. For this, one or two cans are enough.

3. Also, a week before dipping, citrus fruits, greens, rose hips and other foods rich in vitamin C should be excluded from the diet. After all, it is not necessary to stimulate immunity more than dipping into Jordan itself: it will be too much, immunity will "fall" greatly.

4. Dress appropriately. Your clothes and shoes should be easy and quick to remove and put on. Ideally, there should be no fasteners on clothes at all, in extreme cases - "zippers". Fastening the buttons with fingers that do not obey after frost, and even more so, tying the laces will be problematic. You will only waste time standing in the cold. Also, take a rug. You can stand on it while you dry and change. Do not forget the hat - put it on as soon as you jump out of the water.

5. Not all weather is suitable for dipping. The ideal temperature for beginners is 2 to 5 degrees below zero. You can take the risk - go into the ice-hole and in the cold it is harder, but minus ten is already a dangerous threshold for a person who is trying to dive into the ice-hole for the first time.

6. The hole should be well cleared of ice debris so that you do not slip or injure yourself, and to make it easier to get out. It is desirable to have a ladder or shallow water area for easy exit from the water.

7. Two hours before the dive, it is imperative to have a hearty meal to provide the body with "fuel". When you find yourself in cold water, the body begins to madly spend all its resources on heating, and not a single kilocalorie will be superfluous.

8. Go into the water warmed up and gradually. This makes it easier to endure the cold. To warm up before the procedure, you can run for a few minutes, squat, and make active movements. Enter the water slowly, at an average pace: if it is slow, you can freeze, and if it is fast, you may get frightened, severe stress, pulse and pressure rise sharply, catches your breath. Going up to your knees, rinse your face with water, wash yourself. This will also prepare the body for full immersion.

Doctors categorically forbid children to plunge into frost. Little ones, especially babies, have an imperfect thermoregulatory system. Frostbite can happen very quickly, and parents simply do not have time to notice it. The consequences of such dipping are the most serious: a child can get pneumonia, meningitis, or another disease of the central nervous system.

The Russian Orthodox Church actively promotes the myth that the Russian people "from time immemorial" went to the Epiphany to bathe in the ice-hole: supposedly the water on this holiday becomes holy, and a person who plunged into icy water will not get sick. And today every Orthodox believer considers it his duty to splash in the Epiphany ice hole.

Curiously, there is no evidence that this phenomenon was widespread. Of course, you can find references to the tradition itself in classical literature (for example, by Kuprin and Shmelev). This allows us to say that they swam in the ice-hole at Epiphany, but there is one nuance.

At Dahl we find: They swim in the Jordan, who dressed about Christmastide. “Who dressed up about Christmastide” - that is, those who participated in mass games on Christmastide, put on masks, went to carols, in a word, sinned as best they could. And swimming in icy water, which, as is commonly believed, becomes holy on Epiphany night, is such a way to cleanse oneself from sins. Others did not need to swim.

Few people think about where such an extreme tradition came from. And yet it has deep roots, going back to the times when Christianity in Russia did not even smell.

The Slavic traditions of swimming in an ice-hole date back to the times of the ancient Scythians, who dipped their babies into ice water, accustoming them to the harsh nature. In Russia, after the bath, they liked to plunge into ice water or jump into a snowdrift.

In general, swimming in an ice-hole is part of the ancient pagan initiatory military rituals.

The centuries-old, or even millennial, folk customs and traditions have never been destroyed by the church. An example is the pagan feast of Maslenitsa, which had to be tied to the beginning of Lent.

The Church, being unable to overcome the pagan rites, was forced to give them its canonical explanation - they say, following the Gospel myths, Orthodox people repeat the procedure of "baptism of Christ in Jordan." Therefore, swimming in an ice-hole on any other days, except for Epiphany, was severely persecuted by the church - as outright blasphemy and paganism. That is why Dahl makes a reservation that "bathing" was performed strictly at a certain time and not by everyone.

Historians know the fact that Ivan the Terrible liked to demonstrate to amazed foreign ambassadors the valor and daring of his boyars: he made them throw off their fur coats and dive cheerfully into the hole, pretending that it was easy and simple for them. Moreover, he did this not within the framework of Orthodoxy, but precisely in the traditions of military valor.

There is one more curious moment: the very event of dipping into water, which is called baptism, has nothing to do with the Russian word "cross".

According to the biblical myth, John the Baptist, using the ritual of dipping into the Jordan, "wooed" Christ the Holy Spirit, as he had previously wooed him to his other followers. In Greek, this ceremony is called Βάptισμα (literally: "immersion"), from this word comes the modern words "baptists" and "baptistery" (the place where people are baptized).

The Russian word "baptism" goes back to the ancient Russian word "kres", meaning "fire" (the root, as in the word "kresalo" - flint, flint for cutting fire). That is, the word "baptism" means "burning." Initially, it referred to pagan initiatory rituals, called upon at a certain age to "kindle" in a person the "spark of God" that is in him from the Family. Thus, the pagan rite of baptism meant (or consolidated) a person's readiness for the field (military art, craft).

In modern Russian, there are still echoes of this rite: "baptism of fire", "baptism of workers". This also includes the expression "work with a spark."
Of course, the initiation rites themselves differed depending on the nature of the baptism: the rites of initiation into fighters, healers or blacksmiths were different. Therefore, the word “baptism” was always clarified, a word was added, explaining what status it was, in what field.

Christians borrowed this word "baptism", adding to it their own explanation - baptism by water - such a phrase can often be found in Russian translations of Holy Scripture. The absurd meaning of this expression was obvious to our ancestors - “baptism (burning) with water, but we take this phrase for granted.

The sacred meaning of "baptism" with water as a magical rite consists in flooding with water that very generic spark (that is, in the Christian interpretation - from the old Adam, and in fact - from the Devil, from Nature) and replacing it with the Holy Spirit, which descends on him directly from above. Those. “Baptized with water” by this rite, as it were, renounces his roots, from his earthly nature - he renounces the Family.

The word "cross" in the meaning of several (not necessarily two) mutually crossed crossbars - comes from the word "cross", meaning a type of fire pit (logs, folded in a certain way). This name of the campfire laying later extended to any intersection of logs, logs, boards or lines. It was originally (and is now) a synonym for the word "kryzh" (the root, as in the word "ridge" - is a stump turned out of the ground with intertwined roots). Traces of this word in the modern language remain the name of the city of Kryzhopol (the city of the Cross) and in accounting professional terms "kryzhik" - a cross (check mark) in the statement, the verb "kryzhit" - to check, compare statements. In other East Slavic languages, it is used this way (in Belarusian, for example, "crusader" is "kryzhanosets, kryzhak").

Christians have merged these two dissimilar, albeit similarly rooted, concepts - a cross (on which they crucified) and baptism (a rite of Christian Baptism), reducing them to the word "cross" as the intersection of lines.

Thus, Christians not only borrowed the word for the rite, but also dragged the tradition of swimming in an ice hole to this rite.

Marya Dunaeva

In Russia, it was believed that swimming in ice water can heal the body and soul of a person, cleanse of all the sins committed in the past year. Of course, it will not be possible to cleanse oneself from sins with the help of an ice-hole alone. But, the tradition is old and many believers observe it. Therefore, you need to do it right.

The baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ is one of the twelve most important Orthodox holidays throughout the year. The day when they swim in the ice-hole for Epiphany 2018 is, rather, the night from 18 to 19, as well as the entire day of Epiphany itself, a few days after the holiday.

A bit of holiday history

John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ on the Jordan River. During this holy act, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus Christ in the form of a dove. It is for this reason that after the consecration of the ice hole on Christmas Eve, it is customary to release two doves into the sky. In the old days, they still shot blank cartridges into the sky, after the release of pigeons. But, now the shooting ceremony has not survived. Plus, very rarely, the ritual of releasing pigeons is now used.

On the day of the Baptism of Jesus Christ, God appeared in three persons at once. It was God the Father - the voice, God the Son - the flesh, and God the Holy Spirit - the dove. For this reason, the feast of Epiphany is often called the Epiphany. Only after the moment of his baptism, Jesus Christ began to preach the word of God on earth and actively enlighten people.

Celebration of the Baptism of the Lord

Day 19 January is the time when they dive into the ice-hole for Epiphany in 2018. But it should be remembered, this is especially emphasized by the priests, this is not the only tradition of such a big holiday. The celebration begins on the evening of January 18th - Christmas Eve. The traditions of Epiphany Christmas Eve are very similar to the traditions of Christmas Eve. Kutya must be served on the table, you must go to church. Also, jelly, pancakes are served on the table on Christmas Eve.

Consecration of the water, and then taking the holy water home or swimming in the ice hole is the most important part of the celebration of Epiphany. On a river or lake next to the church, a cut in the form of a cross is carved. The cross is placed next to the ice hole and doused with beet juice. People are not afraid of the cold during Epiphany and actively plunge into the ice-hole. Indeed, it is believed that water from this day is not capable of harming a believer and spiritual person. Swimming in an ice-hole brings a person to Baptism not only health of the body, but also health of the soul.

Rules for swimming in the ice hole

So, swimming in an ice-hole is a communion with the grace of God. But, you cannot force yourself and force yourself to climb into the water if you don't want to. It is especially worth refraining from swimming in the ice hole for those who suffer from certain diseases.

Those who decide to plunge into the ice hole should know how to do it correctly. Jordan must necessarily be consecrated, but there are no hard and fast rules on how to swim. Basically, this is a quick immersion in water three times with your head. We must be baptized and say the words of prayer. Swim in shirts, not swimsuits. It is considered useless to expose your body during the dipping process.

Epiphany water has its own healing properties. It is for this reason that many believers are attracted by the ice hole. But it should be remembered that you can feel the healing properties of holy water simply by washing.

What you can do with holy water:

• The water does not deteriorate all year round. You can use it during a period of illness: drink a sip in the morning on an empty stomach, immediately after prayer.
• Store water in a tightly closed vessel next to the icons. This is not just a liquid, but a religious relic.
• You can sprinkle this water on your home to drive out evil spirits.

Folk traditions of Baptism

What other folk traditions existed besides the one to plunge into the hole in Epiphany? Traditionally, as already mentioned, pigeons were released. They were a sign of Divine grace, which came upon him during the baptism of Jesus Christ.

Also in Russia, at the first bell ringing, believers kindled a fire on the river bank. It was kindled so that Jesus, after baptism, could warm himself by the fire. In general, more omens than beliefs were associated with this day. After Baptism, it was impossible to wash clothes in the river.

Whether to swim in the hole for Epiphany or not, each believer must decide this issue for himself. But it is important to believe in what you are doing and to be close to God not only by your actions, but also by your thoughts. Only with such a combination can holy water bring a person the miracles he expects.

Recently, Epiphany bathing has become more and more popular. Where did this tradition come from, why do you need to climb into icy water on the night of January 18-19, and how to make swimming in an ice-hole healthy? We answer all these questions.

About the traditions of bathing at Epiphany

As church officials say, swimming in an ice-hole for Epiphany is rather a folk tradition that has no direct relation to a religious holiday. The Church does not require every believer to plunge into an ice-hole in cold weather. However, many believers and even people far from religion have recently taken a dip in the ice hole on the night of January 18-19. Such an ice-hole, as a rule, is made in the shape of a cross and consecrated right before the holiday; it is called "Jordan" in honor of the famous river. Some do not dare to plunge completely and consider it right to just scoop up the "holy" water from the lake and wash your face. If you decide to participate in bathing for Epiphany 2016, you should prepare in advance and take into account possible contraindications. Although believers believe that it is impossible to get sick from bathing in "holy" water, it is better to take care of yourself.

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How to prepare for ice swimming

According to religious traditions, you need to plunge into the water three times. For men it is not difficult, but if you have a braid to the waist, it is not very pleasant to plunge headlong into frost. You can wear a rubber pool cap to protect your hair from the icy water.

Plunging into an ice-hole once a winter is a great stress for the body. Therefore, be sure to take warm clothes, a large towel and hot tea in a thermos with you. It is advisable to come to the lake by car in order to immediately get to a warm place after the procedure.

In addition to a hat, a thermos, a towel and clothes, you will need a swimsuit, as well as rubber slippers, it will be very cold to stand in the snow barefoot, and your feet will immediately “go numb”.

In general, such a "one-time" bathing in ice water is not at all useful, unlike, for example, regular swimming. If you are often sick and want to try hardening, the first dip in the hole for Epiphany is a good idea for a new start in 2016.

Contraindications for swimming in the ice hole

Many chronic and infectious diseases are an obstacle to winter swimming. If you have doubts about your health, it is better to consult a doctor before Baptism. These diseases are most often a contraindication:

Influenza and Inflammatory Diseases of the Nose, Throat and Ears

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels

Diseases of the nervous system

Diabetes

Eye diseases

Tuberculosis, bronchitis and asthma

Kidney disease

Inflammation of the appendages

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Skin diseases

Bathing rules

You can swim only in special ice-holes equipped with a ladder, under the supervision of doctors and rescuers.

Before dipping, do a gentle warm-up, for example, you can run a little.

Try not to wet your hair or plunge headlong to avoid possible problems with blood vessels and hypothermia.

Do not dive, but descend carefully, be sure to hold onto the ladder with your hands. Even if you swim very well, the icy water can cause shock.

It costs no more than a minute to be in the water - this is not swimming, but dipping.

After exiting the ice-hole, immediately rub yourself with a towel and dress immediately.