When to swim on Epiphany - January 18 or 19- this question is asked very often on the days of Epiphany and Epiphany.

The most important thing you need to know about the Baptism of the Lord is not when to swim (it is not at all necessary to plunge into an ice hole on this day), but that on this day the Lord Jesus Christ himself was baptized. Therefore, on January 18 in the evening and January 19 in the morning, it is important to be in church for 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 usually open on January 19 throughout the day.

Common questions about bathing at Epiphany

Is it necessary to swim in an ice hole at Epiphany?

Is it necessary to swim at Epiphany? And if there is no frost, will bathing be Epiphany?

In any church holiday, it is necessary to distinguish between its meaning and the traditions that have developed around it. The main thing in the feast of the Epiphany is the Epiphany, 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 presence at church services, confession and Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and communion of baptismal water.

The established traditions of swimming 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 of sins, which, unfortunately, is discussed a lot in the media.

Such traditions should not be treated as magical rites - the holiday of the Epiphany is celebrated by Orthodox Christians 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 grapevines on the Transfiguration of the Lord was replaced by the blessing of the apple harvest. Also, on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord, all waters will be sanctified, regardless of their temperature.

Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev

Probably, we should start not with swimming in the Epiphany frosts, but with the most blessed feast of Epiphany. By the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, all water, in all its forms, is sanctified, because for two thousand years the water of the Jordan River, which touched the blessed body of Christ, rose to the heavens millions of times, floated in the clouds and again returned as raindrops to the earth. What is it in - in trees, lakes, rivers, grass? Pieces of her are everywhere. And now the feast of Epiphany is approaching, when the Lord gives us an abundance of consecrated water. Concern awakens in every person: what about me? After all, this is my chance to cleanse myself! Don't miss it! And so people, without hesitation, even with some kind of despair, rush to the ice hole and, having plunged, then talk about their “feat” for a whole year. Did they partake of the grace of our Lord or did they gratify their pride?

An Orthodox person walks calmly from one church holiday to another, observing fasts, confessing and receiving communion. And he prepares for Epiphany slowly, deciding with his family who, after confession and communion, will be honored to plunge into the Jordan, according to the ancient Russian tradition, and who, due to being a child or indisposed, will wash their face with holy water, or take a bath at a holy spring, or simply take holy water with prayer as a spiritual medicine. Thank God, we have plenty to choose from, and we don’t need to take risks thoughtlessly if a person is weakened by illness. The Jordan is not a Pool of Sheep (see John 5:1-4), and must be approached with caution. An experienced priest will not bless everyone for a bath. He will take care of choosing a place, strengthening the ice, a gangway, a warm place to undress and dress, and the presence of one of the Orthodox medical workers. Here, mass baptism will be appropriate and beneficial.

Another thing is the mass of desperate people who decided, without a blessing or just basic thought, to swim “for company” in icy water. Here we are not talking about the strength of the spirit, but about the strength of the body. A strong spasm of 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 “purification” in the ice hole by smoking and alcohol. The flow of blood to the lungs will only increase chronic inflammation of the bronchi, which always accompanies smoking, and can cause swelling of the bronchial wall and pneumonia. Long-term use of alcohol or acute intoxication in warm water always leads to misfortunes, to say nothing of swimming in an ice 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, including cardiac and respiratory arrest. With such bad habits and in such a state, it is better not to approach the ice hole.

Archpriest Sergiy Vogulkin, rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Vsetsaritsa” in the city of Yekaterinburg, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor:

– Explain, after all, why an Orthodox person needs to bathe in ice water on Epiphany when it’s thirty degrees below zero outside?

Priest Svyatoslav Shevchenko:– It is necessary to distinguish between folk customs and church liturgical practice. The Church does not call believers to climb into icy water - everyone decides for themselves 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 there is a religious surge among the Russian people - and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is not very good is that people limit themselves to this superficial ablution. Moreover, some seriously believe that by bathing in the Epiphany Jordan, they will wash away all the sins that have accumulated over the year. These are pagan superstitions, and they have nothing in common with church teaching. Sins are forgiven by the priest in the sacrament of Penance. In addition, in the search for thrills, we miss the main essence of the holiday of Epiphany.

Where did the tradition of diving into an ice hole at Epiphany come from? Is it necessary for every Orthodox Christian 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 swimming

- at Epiphany - a relatively new tradition. Neither in the historical literature about Ancient Rus', nor in the memoirs of pre-revolutionary Russia did I read that somewhere on Epiphany they cut through ice and swam. But there is nothing wrong with this tradition itself, you just need to understand that the Church does not force anyone to swim in cold water.

The consecration of water is a reminder that the Lord is everywhere, sanctifying the entire 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 Epiphany, Epiphany bathing turns into a sport, a love of extreme sports. It is important to feel the presence of the Trinity, which permeates all natural nature, 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 consecrate water and wash themselves with it. Those who have been swimming for more than a year should continue to swim. 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 churches in the Krasnogorsk district:

The spiritual meaning is in the blessing of water, not in bathing

- Today the Church does not prohibit swimming in reservoirs, but before the revolution it had a negative attitude towards it. Father Sergius Bulgakov in his “Handbook for a Clergyman” writes the following:

“...In some places there is a custom of bathing in rivers on this day (especially those who dressed up, told fortunes, etc., bathed during Christmas time, superstitiously attributing to this bath a cleansing power from these sins). Such a custom cannot be justified by the desire to imitate the example of the Savior’s immersion in water, as well as the example of Palestinian pilgrims who bathe in the Jordan River at all times. In the east it is safe for pilgrims, because there is no such cold and such frosts as ours.

The belief in the healing and purifying 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 priests and 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 associate bathing with pagan beliefs, there is nothing wrong with it. Those who are healthy enough can take a dip, but don’t look for any spiritual meaning in it. Epiphany water has spiritual significance, but you can drink a drop of it, or sprinkle it on yourself, and it is absurd to think that the one who has bathed will necessarily receive more grace than the one who drank a sip. Receiving grace does not depend on this.

Not far from one of the churches of our deanery, in Opalikha, there is a clean pond, I know that the clergy of the temple sanctify the water there. Why not? The Typikon allows this. 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 Rite 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 cannot serve two liturgies a day. And so the priest serves and blesses the water in one temple, and travels to two others, sometimes tens of kilometers away, to bless the water especially for local residents. Then, of course, let's assume the Great Order. Or in a nursing home, if it is impossible to perform the Epiphany liturgy there, you can also perform the Great Blessing of Water.

If, for example, a pious rich man wants to sanctify the water in his pond, there is nothing wrong with this, but in this case it is necessary to sanctify it with the Lesser Rite.

Well, when, as in Opalikha, after the prayer behind the pulpit there is a procession of the cross, the water in the pond is blessed, and then everyone returns to the church and finishes the liturgy, the church rite is not violated. And whether the priests and parishioners will then plunge into the ice hole is everyone’s personal matter. You just need to approach this wisely.

One of our parishioners is an experienced walrus, she even goes to walrus competitions. Naturally, she enjoys bathing at Epiphany too. But people become walruses by gradually tempering them. If a person is not frost-resistant and often catches colds, it would be unreasonable on his part to climb into an ice 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 swimming 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 physical health, perhaps mental health - cold water invigorates - but not spiritual health. 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 ice 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 Epiphany water, but to pray during the service and, if possible, receive communion. But all of us, Orthodox Christians, must treat people who come with love and understanding, with condescension towards human weakness. If someone comes only for water, it is wrong to tell him that he is this and that and will not receive grace. It’s not for us to judge this.

In my life story, 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 be with soup,” answered Father Alexy. And in the end, that man turned to God.

From this, of course, it does not follow that it is necessary to distribute prosphora to all unbelieving relatives, but the example given shows that God's grace often acts in a way that is incomprehensible to us. Same with water. The man came only for water, but perhaps, through these external actions, without realizing it, he is drawn to God and will eventually come to Him. For now, let us rejoice that he remembers the feast of Epiphany and came to church in the first place.

Archpriest Theodore Borodin, rector of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian on Maroseyka:

Swimming is just the beginning

The tradition of bathing at Epiphany is a late one. And one should treat it depending on why a person bathes. Let me make an analogy with Easter. Everyone knows that on Holy Saturday tens or even hundreds of thousands of people go to church to bless Easter cakes.

If they really don’t know that this is only a tiny part of the joy that Easter is for a believer, they come to church with reverence and sincerely pray, for them it is still a meeting with the Lord.

If, from year to year, they hear that this is not the most important thing, and the priest, blessing the Easter cakes, each time invites them to come to the night service, to share with everyone the joy of the Risen Lord, explains the meaning of the service, and their communication with the Church still comes down to the blessing of Easter cakes, which is, of course, sad.

The same goes for swimming. If a person, 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 a meeting with God.

I think that when a person sincerely seeks God, sooner or later he will understand that bathing is just the beginning, and it is much more important to be at the all-night vigil and liturgy. If Epiphany bathing serves as a stepping stone to beginning to celebrate this holiday in a truly Christian way, at least in a few years, such bathing can only be welcomed.

Unfortunately, many people treat it simply as one of the extreme sports. Often the bathing of non-church people involves obscene jokes and excessive drinking. Just like the once popular wall-to-wall fights, such fun does 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 swim at night and consider that they have already joined the holiday, sleep off, satisfied with themselves - they have proven that they are strong in body and their faith is strong. They proved it to themselves, but this is self-deception.

Of course, it is not necessary to swim at night, you can after the service. Our church 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 object if I see that a person is really doing this for the sake of the Lord. But one priest I know, a very good one, plunged into an ice hole for several years in a row and fell ill every time after that. This means that his bathing was displeasing to the Lord, and the Lord admonished him through his illness - now he does not bathe.

I've never swam either. It’s quite a long way for me to travel to the nearest consecrated reservoirs; if I spend half the night on the road and swimming, I won’t be able to confess to the parishioners and serve the liturgy as I should. But sometimes my mother, my children and I doused ourselves with Epiphany water on the street, in the snow. I live outside the city, and after returning from the all-night vigil, the whole family doused themselves. But it’s possible outside the city; in Moscow you won’t be able to do that.

Archpriest Alexy Uminsky, rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Khokhly, confessor of the St. Vladimir Orthodox Gymnasium:

And what does Baptism have to do with it?

I’m somehow not particularly puzzled by the issue of night Epiphany diving. If a person wants to, let him dive; if he doesn’t want to, let him not dive. Just what does diving in an ice hole have to do with the feast of the Epiphany?

For me, these dips are just fun, extreme. Our people love something so unusual. Lately it has become fashionable and popular to dive into an ice hole at Epiphany, then drink vodka, and then tell everyone about your such Russian piety.

This is a Russian tradition, like fist fights on Maslenitsa. It has exactly the same relation to the celebration of Epiphany as fist fights have to the celebration of Forgiveness Resurrection.

The baptism of Christ was performed by John the Baptist at his request. During his baptism on the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. At the same time, a Voice from Heaven declared: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” According to Christian teachings, it was on this day that God appeared in three persons: God the Father in voice, the Son of God in flesh, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. That is why the feast of Epiphany is often called Epiphany. The holiday of Epiphany is very important. It is believed that it was baptism that revealed the Savior to the world, who took upon himself all the sins of mankind. John Chrysostom wrote about this. And it was from the moment of baptism that Jesus began to preach the word of God and enlighten people.

Until now, the main traditions of the Epiphany holiday are associated with water. And the clergy traditionally wear white vestments on the feast of Epiphany.

How to celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord

The celebration of Epiphany (January 19) begins the day before - January 18. This day is called Epiphany Christmas Eve, as well as Hungry Kutya. By analogy with Christmas Eve, on the day before the feast of the Epiphany it is necessary keep a strict fast. Also on the eve of the feast of Epiphany, Orthodox prepared Lenten kutya. The festive dinner on Epiphany Eve was called “hungry kutya”. The obligatory dishes of this meal were kutia, pancakes, and oatmeal jelly.

Kutya, kolivo, kanun - a ritual funeral dish of the Slavs, porridge cooked from whole grains of wheat (barley, rice - Saracen millet or other cereals), poured with honey, honey syrup or sugar, with the addition of poppy seeds, raisins, nuts, milk or jam.

An important event of Epiphany and Epiphany is blessing of water. On a river or lake, a cross-shaped hole called Jordan is cut out in advance in the ice. At midnight, priests bless the water in the wormwood, and believers take a bath in the consecrated water. People are not afraid of the cold because bathing for Epiphany- this is a symbolic cleansing from sins, spiritual rebirth. Believers eagerly await the Feast of Epiphany, and when the Epiphany of the Lord comes, the Orthodox are sure to attend church to remember a miraculous event that changed the world.

How to swim properly at Epiphany

For believers, bathing at Epiphany means communion with the special grace of the Lord, which he sends to all the water on this day. It is also believed that water at Epiphany brings health, both physical and spiritual. At the same time, the church warns against attaching any magical meaning to this tradition.

Rules for bathing at Epiphany

The ice holes or Jordans in which people bathe at Epiphany are blessed. There are no strict rules for those who want to plunge into Jordan for Epiphany. But still, it is customary to quickly immerse your head in water 3 times, while crossing yourself and saying: In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Traditionally, it is believed that on Epiphany one should swim in shirts and not in swimsuits, so as not to expose one’s body.

Epiphany water - wonderful healing properties

In all springs consecrated at Epiphany, the water becomes holy and healing. It is believed, and this has many confirmations, that Epiphany holy water has miraculous and healing properties:

Believers take it with them - Epiphany holy water has the ability not to spoil for a long time.
Epiphany water is drunk on an empty stomach throughout the year, it is carefully preserved as a shrine and illnesses, both physical and mental, are treated.
You can sprinkle your home with holy baptismal water to drive out evil spirits and bring the grace of God into the house.

Where to get Epiphany holy water

If you want to collect blessed Epiphany water after bathing, you don’t have to bring canisters. A small bottle is enough. According to Christian canons, any water can be made holy if you add a little baptismal water to it - from a temple or from Jordan. Festive services will be held in all Orthodox churches on the night from 18 to 19. But it is not necessary to come on this particular day. As explained in the Moscow Patriarchate, water becomes holy after a special water blessing prayer. Access to containers with Epiphany water will be open in churches for several days. In addition, on Epiphany, queues are expected to form for holy water, and it will be difficult to get to the temples. According to safety rules, on major religious holidays, parking near temples within 50 meters is prohibited.

When to collect Epiphany water

The rite of the Great Blessing of Water (Great Agiasma) is performed on Epiphany Eve (January 18) after the Divine Liturgy and on January 19 - on the day of the Epiphany itself. During both days, you can collect Epiphany water in any church. Both times the water is blessed with the same rite, so there is no difference in when to collect the water - on Christmas Eve or on the Feast of Epiphany itself.

If you decide to draw Epiphany water from the tap and want to know when is the best time to do it. It is better to collect water for Epiphany in the time interval from 00:10 to 01:30 on the night of January 18th to 19th. However, you can collect Epiphany water later - until 24:00 on January 19.

What you need to know before collecting water for Epiphany:

It is better to collect Epiphany water not thoughtlessly, but after participating in a church service (in church) or prayer (at home);
you need to pour water for Epiphany into a container without any markings - preferably into a special jug or flask purchased at a church store (in no case into a beer bottle)

Epiphany water is believed to have healing properties. You can drink it when you are sick on an empty stomach and wash your face to stay healthy. You need to drink Epiphany holy water with prayer, asking the Almighty for spiritual and physical health. And it is not at all necessary to take it in reserve; there should be a lot of faith, not water.

Baptism - folk traditions

Previously, there were special folk traditions for celebrating the Epiphany or Epiphany. For example, at Epiphany it was customary to release doves - as a sign of Divine grace descending on Jesus Christ. Other folk traditions for Epiphany are known from legends.

In Rus', on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, as soon as the first church bell called for matins, pious believers lit a fire on the shore so that Jesus Christ, who was baptized in the Jordan, could also warm himself by the fire.

They began to prepare the Jordan a week before Epiphany: they cut a hole in the river, sawed out a large cross and placed it over the hole. The throne was also cut out of ice. The “royal doors” were decorated with Christmas tree branches.

On the morning of the holiday, after the service, everyone went to the river. After the blessing of the water in the river, all those gathered collected it in their dishes. It was believed that the sooner you scoop it up, the more holy it will be. There were brave souls who swam in the Jordan, remembering that it was impossible to catch a cold in the blessed water.

Then everyone went home. And while the women were setting the table, the eldest man in the family sprinkled the entire household with Epiphany water. Before eating, everyone drank consecrated water. After eating, the girls hurried to the river to wash in “Jordanian water”, “so that their faces were pink.”

After Epiphany, it was forbidden to wash clothes in the river. According to legend, when a priest immerses a cross in water, all the evil spirits jump out of fear, and then sit on the shore and wait for someone to appear with dirty laundry. As soon as the laundry is lowered into the river, along it, like a ladder, all the evil spirits go into the water. Therefore, it was believed that the later women began to wash, the more wickedness would freeze out from the Epiphany frosts.

Fortune telling for Epiphany

There were other traditions - it was believed that miracles happened at Epiphany midnight: the wind subsided for a moment, complete silence reigned and the heavens opened. At this time, you can express your cherished wish, which will definitely come true.

There is another tradition at Epiphany, which, however, is not approved by the church. On January 19, Christmastide ends - the period of fortune telling in Rus'. On Epiphany night, the girls sought to understand what awaited them in the future, whether they would get married, whether the year would be successful.

Baptism - folk signs

Since ancient times, many folk signs have been associated with Epiphany. Many of them were related to the economic activities of peasants or predicted the weather. For example, folk signs for Epiphany read:

If the weather is clear and cold at Epiphany, the summer will be dry; cloudy and fresh - to a bountiful harvest.
A full month for Epiphany means a big spring flood.
Starry night on Epiphany - the summer will be dry, there will be a harvest for peas and berries.
There will be a thaw at Epiphany - for the harvest, and a clear day at Epiphany - for the harvest failure.
The wind will blow from the south on Epiphany - it will be a stormy summer.
If it snows during the liturgy, especially while going to the water, then next year is expected to be fruitful, and there will be many swarms of bees.

When is Epiphany The dogs were barking a lot, waiting for a successful hunting season: If dogs bark a lot on Epiphany, there will be plenty of all kinds of animals and game. Chickens are not fed at Epiphany so that the gardens are not dug in the summer and the seedlings are not spoiled.

The Russian folk calendar associates the holiday of Epiphany with frost. Epiphany frosts: “Cracking frost, not crackling, but Vodokreshchi has passed.

How to swim properly at Epiphany so as not to get sick

Both old and young swim at Epiphany. But without special preparation, swimming can be dangerous for children and the elderly. It is better to prepare in advance by gradually hardening yourself by pouring cold water at home in the bathroom. Precautionary measures must be observed by everyone who decides to swim at Epiphany. Doctors warn against swimming at Epiphany for people with hypertension, rheumatism, atherosclerosis or tuberculosis. Swimming at Epiphany is also unacceptable for other acute chronic diseases. Doctors warn that swimming in ice water can lead to negative consequences. After all, winter swimming in an ice hole puts all the mechanisms of human thermoregulation into maximum tension and this can cause shock.

Well, if you are healthy, then follow these recommendations: how to swim properly at Epiphany:

You can swim on Epiphany only in an ice hole where there is a special entrance to the water;
never go swimming at Epiphany alone, there should be a person nearby who can help if necessary;
Alcohol and cigarettes are prohibited before swimming; do not swim on an empty stomach or immediately after eating;
Bring a blanket with you, as well as clothes that are comfortable for changing.

Epiphany is a holiday with history and rich traditions. But the main thing, of course, is not the ritual, but the great meaning that it carries. The Orthodox holiday of Epiphany is of great importance for believers, because this is the day when a person’s spiritual renewal occurs.

Where to swim in Moscow on Epiphany

The choice of places for swimming at Epiphany 2018 in Moscow is large. About 59 fonts will be equipped so that everyone can undergo the bathing ritual. They will be equipped so that people can calmly undress, rub themselves, take a bath and drink hot tea. If you choose by metro, then this information will help you - here are a number of addresses for swimming in Moscow on Epiphany on January 19, 2018: Vykhino metro station - White Lake recreation area, Putyaevsky Ponds Cascade - Sokolniki Park, Shchelkovskaya metro station - Babaevsky Pond, Lermontovsky Prospekt metro station - Kosinsky Park, Kryukovsky Forest Park, Strogino metro station - Rublevo village park, Konkovo metro station - Teply Stan park, Novogireevo metro station - Raduga Ponds, Krylatskoye metro station - Serebryany Bor park, Polezhaevskaya metro station - Filevsky Boulevard park, Novokosino metro station - Lake Meshcherskoye, Izmailovskaya metro station - Izmailovo park.

Epiphany bathing will take place from 6 p.m. on January 18 to noon on January 19. There is no provision for mass exits of people onto the ice. The thickness of the coating currently does not exceed 15 - 20 centimeters. All swimming areas are equipped with safe approaches and descents to the water. For a comfortable ceremony, heated locker rooms, toilets and lighting are installed. Swimming participants will be provided with hot drinks and places to warm up.

If you are choosing places to swim for Epiphany by district, read below:

Where to swim on Epiphany - Central District of the Central Administrative District

font in the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek;

Where to swim on Epiphany - Northern District of the Northern Administrative District

Big Garden Pond;
Coastal passage, 7;
Water stadium "Dynamo";

Where to swim on Epiphany - North-Eastern District of North-Eastern Administrative District

Palace Pond (1st Ostankino, near no. 7).

Where to swim on Epiphany - Eastern District of the Eastern Administrative District

Babaevsky pond, st. Kurganskaya, 5 - 9
Red Pond, Izmailovsky Forest Park
Font “Vernissage in Izmailovo”, Izmailovskoye sh., 73Zh
Maysky Pond (formerly Sobachy), Sokolniki Park, st. Sokolnichesky Val, 1, building 1
Beloe Lake, st. B. Kosinskaya, 46
Lake Svyatoe, st. Oranzhereynaya, 18
Terletsky Ponds, Svobodny Prospekt, 9
Deer Pond;

Where to swim on Epiphany - South-Eastern District of the South-East Administrative District

Upper Kuzminsky pond, st. Kuzminskaya, 10, near the dam
Lower Lublinsky Pond, st. Shkuleva, ow. 2b, near the Ministry of Emergency Situations station
Shibaevsky pond, st. Zarechye, vl. 14, near the rescue station

Where to swim on Epiphany - Southern District of the Southern Administrative District

Borisovskie ponds, st. Borisovskie Prudy, 2g
Upper Tsaritsynsky pond, st. Dolskaya, 1
Pond Beket, Zagorodnoye sh., no. 2

Where to swim on Epiphany - Southwestern District of the South-Western Administrative District

Vorontsovsky Pond (Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Vorontsovo, Ak. Pilyugina St., 1)
Pond of the sanatorium “Uzkoe” (Temple of the “Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Uzkoe”, Profsoyuznaya str. 123B)
Troparevsky Pond (Recreation area “Troparevo”, Academician Vinogradov St., 7)
Pond on Nakhimovsky Prospekt (Nakhimovsky Prospekt, building 8 (near the Church of Euphrosyne
Moscow)
Chernevsky Pond (decorative pond No. 1) (Church of the Nativity of Christ in Chernevo, Yuzhnobutovskaya St., 62)
Pond on the territory of the Temple (Temple of the Icon of the Mother of God “Znamenie”, Shosseynaya St., 28 “a”)

Where to swim on Epiphany - Western District of the Joint-Stock Company

Meshchersky Pond (Voskresenskaya St., Za)
Pond in the village of Rublevo / Village of Rublevo, (Botyleva St., near house 41)
Moscow River (Filevsky Boulevard, opposite No. 21)
Moscow River (B. Filevskaya St., 40a)

Where to swim on Epiphany - Northwestern District of the Northwestern Administrative District

Baryshikha River (Landscape Park, Baryshikha St. 4)
Pond in the village Rozhdestveno (Pond in the village of Rozhdestveno (behind the Church of the Nativity), Mitino district
Derivation canal (opposite the house at the address: Malaya Naberezhnaya str. 3, building 1)
Khimki Reservoir (Moscow River) st. Svobody 56, PKiO "Severnoe Tushino"
Stroginskaya floodplain (Tvardovsky street, 16 building 3)
Kirov floodplain (Isakovskogo st. 2)
Lake Bezdonnoye (Tamanskaya st. 91)
Moscow River (Karamyshevskaya embankment, 13-15)
Moscow River (Aviatsionnaya Street, 79)
Derivation canal (Lodochnaya st. 19)

Where to swim on Epiphany - Zelenograd

Black Lake, on the western side of the reservoir, Lesnye Prudy alley, 6th microdistrict
Shkolnoye Lake, on the western side of the reservoir, Panfilovsky Prospekt, bldg. 1001

Where to swim on Epiphany - Trinity and Novomoskovsk districts

MUSP Fishing and Sports (Troitsk Island, Desna River in the Zarechye recreation area).
Pond in the village Pokrovskoye (Voronovskoye settlement, Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pokrovskoye village).
Pond near the Archangel Michael Church (Krasnopakhorskoe village, Bylovo village).
Pond in the village of Filimonkovskoye, in the village of Knutovo.
Pond p. Shchapovskoe, village. Oznobishino, Holy Trinity Church.
Pond in Voskresenskoye settlement, territory of the Voskresenskoye village, dam 1.
Pond settlement Marushkinskoye, village. Big Svinorye.
Pond in the village of Moskovsky, village of the Ulyanovsk forest park, LLC “Gloria”, temple-chapel of the icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Flower”.
Pond Moskovsky village, Govorovo village, pond No. 2, st. Central.
Pond of the Mosrentgen village, middle pond of the Troitsky Estate cascade.
River p. Rogovskoye, village Vasyunino, 100 m from the Church of the Holy Trinity on the river.
Font of Vnukovskoye village, village. DSK "Michurinets", st. Zheleznodorozhnaya, 1. Kupel near the river. Setun.
Font of Marushkinskoye village, Marushkino village, Rucheyok park.
Font Klenovskoye village, Tovarishchevo village, r. Liver.
Font of Desyonovskoye village, Evseevo-Kuvekino village.
Font of Pervomaiskoe village, Puchkovo village, Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
Font of Mikhailovo-Yartsevskoe village, Shishkin Les village, p. 43, Temple of the New Martyrs.

16 places in specially protected natural areas of Moscow:

PIP "Bitsevsky Les", apt. 7, st. Sanatorium Alley, sanatorium “Uzkoe”, Fourth Pond in Uzkoe (with the participation of the Yasenevo District Administration)
PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apartment 9, Shibaevsky pond, Kuzminki district, Zarechye street, possession 14
PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apartment 33, Nizhny Lyublinsky pond, Tekstilshchiki district, Shkuleva street, possession 2B
PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apartment 9, Verkhniy Kuzminsky pond, Kuzminki district, Kuzminskaya st., building 7
PP "Serebryany Bor", Lake Bezdonnoe, near st. Tamanskaya, 91
PP "Serebryany Bor", Lake Bezdonnoe, near st. Tamanskaya, 91 (opposite shore of the lake)
PIP "Moskvoretsky", Kirovskaya Poima, Isakovskogo St., 2-4 (Strogino District Administration)
PIP "Moskvoretsky", Tvardovskogo St., 16 (Strogino District Administration)
PIP "Moskvoretsky", Zhivopisnaya St., 56 (Shchukino District Administration)
PIP "Moskvoretsky", Karamyshevskaya embankment 15 (Khoroshevo-Mnevniki district administration)
PIP “Izmailovo”, Terletsky forest park, 2/6, Alder pond
PIP “Izmailovo”, forest park “Izmailovo”, Izmailovskaya Apiary village, 1, Krasny Pond (Izmailovo District Administration)
PIP "Kosinsky", st. Zaozernaya, 18, Beloye Lake (Kosino-Ukhtomsky District Administration)
PIP "Kosinsky", st. Orangereynaya, ow. 24., building 1, Lake Svyatoe (Kosino-Ukhtomsky District Administration)
Landscape reserve "Teply Stan", recreation area "Troparevo" St. Academician Vinogradova vl. 12, recreation area "Troparevo"
PT Zelenograd, Forest Ponds alley, recreation area “Black Lake” (Savelki District Administration)

Map of the location of the fonts for Epiphany bathing in 2018

The Orthodox world celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany on the night of January 18-19. In Moscow, about 60 swimming pools and ponds will be equipped for swimming. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the addresses of the placement of Epiphany fonts in Moscow in 2018. In order to view the map in detail and find out where you can swim on Epiphany on the night of January 18-19 in Moscow, click on the zoom button in the lower right corner of the map.

The holiday itself goes far back to the ancient past, to the time of the apostles. In those days it was called completely differently: “Epiphany”, which in principle means Epiphany and the second name is “Feast of Lights”. It is connected with the fact that on this day God comes to our world in order to bestow upon it the Unapproachable Light. And the name Baptism comes from Greek. The words baptize, baptize, translated mean immersion in water. This is where one of the most important traditions of Epiphany came from: swimming in the consecrated waters of ice holes in rivers and lakes. Water represents life, in principle, as well as 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 Eve begins. On this day, it is necessary to observe strict fasting, pray and repent of your sins, in order to plunge into the consecrated waters at night from 18 to 19. The name Christmas Eve comes from the food on the day before the holiday - sochivo. Apart from this dish of boiled grain with dried fruits, poppy seeds and nuts, you cannot eat anything else.

Since the beginning of the Epiphany holiday, ice holes have been cut in rivers and lakes throughout the country, called Jordans, for swimming by everyone. It is true that by swimming in an ice hole, you are thereby cleansed of all sins. According to the church, no, because sins can only be repented of through confession in church. There is another opinion about swimming, it is believed that you will be healthy all year. Opinions in this regard may also differ, because people suffering from some complex diseases are generally prohibited from diving into an ice hole in icy water. For me, once I was diving, the sensations were indescribable. I flew out of the water as if from a “stove”, there was darkness all around, and think for yourself how in a huge crowd of people you can figure out where your things are and where to run. Anyone who has tried it will understand. As for health, well, I haven’t been sick all year, except for the usual runny nose. But this does not mean at all that thanks to my baptism bath I did not get sick. I want to believe, and it’s hard to believe, although it’s possible. It is also not recommended to bathe children in ice holes, especially if they themselves do not want to.

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

You can take blessed water for Epiphany from church. Although many people believe that holy water flows from the tap all day long and, without worrying about going to church, they collect it at home. What is most surprising and still incomprehensible to me is that such tap water will stand all year and not spoil. So miracles, so miracles! By the way, you can collect water starting from January 18th. Although many believe that the water collected on January 18 is called Epiphany, and that collected on January 19, Epiphany, this is the same water, blessed once. So there is no difference when to take water for Epiphany or Epiphany.

How to celebrate Epiphany

Of course, the best way to start celebrating is in church, having served a service, prayed to God, then at midnight, taken a swim in the ice hole. You can also perform fortune telling at Epiphany. They say that whatever you predict will definitely come true. There is an interesting fortune telling using candle wax that I have tested. You will need a candle, matches, and a plate. You light a candle, and when the wax begins to melt, you begin to ask what worries you most, then carefully tilt the candle so that it does not go out, and drop a drop onto the plate. You can stop at any time, in principle, when you ask the same question three times. Then, using the outlines of the wax on the plate, look at the silhouettes of what happened. Here you will need to turn on your imagination. There is nothing difficult about decoding. I have already written about other fortune telling in an article about, they can also be used for Epiphany.

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 at Epiphany, then the weather at Easter will also be warm.
3. If dogs bark on the day of Epiphany, it means the table will be full of all kinds of food.
4. If you see a full month in the sky at Epiphany, it means there will be a lot of water.
5. If there is a starry night 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, it means there will be a harvest of bread and honey.
These and many other signs come from our great... great... grandmothers. And many of them are still coming true. All you have to do is decide for yourself whether you believe in it or not.

Congratulations on your Epiphany

I hasten to congratulate you
Happy Baptism of the Lord,
So that joy surrounds you
All year and including today!

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

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

May the Lord grant you health,
Let him please the children
May you have today
Happiness will happen without loss.

Epiphany -
Great holiday!
I wish you today
Reliable, different friends!

To revel in love,
And believe only in miracles,
Smile more often
And enjoy happiness!
Happy Epiphany, gentlemen!!!

Baptism 2017. Baptism bathing. Date, rules, where you can swim. What date will Epiphany be in 2017? How is Epiphany bathing done?

The Epiphany of the Lord (Epiphany or, according to the church, the Baptism of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ) is the twelfth non-moving holiday, which means that this wonderful date is celebrated on the same day every year. What date will Epiphany be in 2017? The day when you can be cleansed of sins and illnesses, and test your fortitude by plunging headlong into the ice-cold water in an ice hole, will come in 2017 on January 19, Thursday. On the territory of modern Russia, Epiphany is not a state holiday and does not apply to weekends.

Baptism in an ice hole. How it goes.

In a river, lake or any body of water, an ice hole is cut in the shape of a cross, and the ice cross itself is installed nearby. The priest marks the hole with a cross and reads prayers. People plunge into these reservoirs of holy water in the hope of receiving atonement for sins and God's grace. Before plunging headlong into cold water, you need to cross yourself three times and plunge with the words on your lips: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Traditions of the holiday of Epiphany

On the eve of Epiphany, Orthodox believers fast during the day, and in the evening they celebrate the “Hungry Kutya” or Holy Evening, akin to Christmas Eve. According to tradition, the whole family sits down at the table and eats Lenten dishes.

The three-time immersion of a Christian believer into an ice hole symbolizes the death of Jesus the Savior, and the moment of emerging from the water introduces a person to the three-day Resurrection of Jesus. Swimming in an ice hole is not a mandatory ritual; it is much more important to be a true believer, attend church and honor the Lord God.

Signs of Baptism

If a person is baptized on this day, then happiness will accompany him all his life.
If any agreement on this day is sealed with a handshake, then in the future there will be support from above.
If you agree on a wedding on the day of Epiphany, then the newlyweds will have a happy life.
A clear day on Epiphany means the year will be lean.
If the trees are covered with frost at Epiphany, in the spring on the same day of the week you need to sow winter wheat so that there is a rich harvest.
Girls wash themselves with snow at Epiphany to preserve their beauty for many years.
On Epiphany night one often has prophetic dreams.

What not to do on Epiphany

Baptism is not a mandatory ritual, so first of all You can't swim if you're not healthy . Any priest will dissuade you from diving if he sees that your health condition does not allow you to undergo the procedure safely. Especially if you have never trained the walrus in yourself in your life. Before jumping into the ice hole, check if you have the following diseases:

Diving into an ice hole is not recommended during periods of exacerbation of inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx and otitis media, or if you have just recovered from a cold.
It is strictly forbidden to swim in Jordan for people with heart disease, after heart attacks and with hypertension stages II and III.
After injuries and epilepsy, you should not tempt fate.
Also contraindications are neuritis, diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis.
Eye diseases such as glaucoma and conjunctivitis.
Those whose health has been weakened by tuberculosis, bronchial asthma, emphysema, inflammation of the genitourinary system, as well as ulcers, cholecystitis and hepatitis should not swim.

Epiphany bathing. Safety and rules.

You can't jump off the ice. You need to enter the water only using a special wooden ladder, which is best checked for stability before descending.
Each Jordan must additionally be equipped with a thick, strong rope with knots, one end lowered into the water, and the other end firmly fixed to the shore. This will ensure safety in case the stairs collapse.
Do not try to plunge yourself headlong - this can cause a reflex narrowing of the blood vessels in the brain and lead to shock. It is best to dive up to your neck.
Do not stay in the font for more than 1 minute. Firstly, your body may become hypothermic and this will lead to undesirable consequences, and secondly, there are many people who want to swim, don’t delay people, it’s freezing outside.
After bathing, you need to rub yourself with a terry towel and be sure to drink hot tea with honey and berries. This will help soften the blow to the immune system.
Do not drink alcohol under any circumstances. On this bright holiday, drinking alcohol is prohibited, and most importantly, it can dramatically dilate your blood vessels, and this can lead to serious consequences and hospitalization.

Watch the video to see how Epiphany bathing takes place firsthand.

Baptism is popularly called Epiphany and is celebrated annually on January 19; in 2018, this date falls on Friday. In Russia, this event is not considered a non-working day, although it is an official holiday.

The ancient and revered holiday of the Epiphany by all Christians is becoming one of the most anticipated events in the entire church year. Everyone who has ever heard of the Orthodox faith knows about this holiday, which is why it is not surprising that even in the modern world people continue to adhere to the strict canons of celebrating this wonderful day.

Epiphany 2018: History of the holiday

This church holiday has been celebrated exactly since Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan River more than 2000 years ago. It is believed that after baptism itself, the holy spirit descended from heaven in the form of a white dove. Everyone heard the voice of God, which said: “You are My Beloved Son; I am well pleased with you!” Starting from this day, Jesus began his earthly mission, which ended, as everyone knows, with the resurrection, which became the progenitor of the Easter holiday. After baptism, Jesus Christ went into the desert, where he stayed for 40 days and nights, preparing himself to fulfill his sacred duty.

Epiphany 2018: Holiday traditions. Do's and Don'ts

Over time, the holiday of the Epiphany has acquired a huge number of traditions that are sacredly revered by people to this day. Perhaps the most significant of them is the ritual of swimming in an ice hole, the features of which should be known to everyone who wants to perform this action. Before swimming, a hole is cut in the ice, which is usually called the Jordan in honor of the river in which Jesus was baptized. The priest dips the crucifix into the water and reads a prayer, thereby consecrating this place for further ritual. You should plunge headlong three times, after which it is customary to read a prayer and get out of the water. It would seem, why expose your body to such stress on days when the Russian winter is especially fierce? However, swimming in an ice hole on Epiphany is an ancient and wise tradition. It is believed that it is on this day that the water in natural springs acquires special properties: after bathing in such water, not only diseases, ailments, evil eyes, but also sins, of which many could have accumulated by this moment, are washed away...

People with diseases of the heart, nervous and vascular systems, as well as pregnant women and children should not enter the water. This is especially true for the latter, because in childhood the process of thermoregulation has not yet been formed, which makes the child’s body at risk of serious complications.
You cannot swim while intoxicated - because it is life-threatening!
You can have a hearty meal before diving, but don’t overeat, and drink hot tea after.

If you adhere to all the rules, then this procedure for the Baptism of the Lord will definitely have a beneficial effect on your well-being: both physically and spiritually.

Epiphany 2018: Tradition of collecting Epiphany water

Of course, not everyone will be able to plunge into the ice hole on January 19, 2018, but at the same time, each of us will be able to collect holy Epiphany water for ourselves, and we will tell you how, where and when is best to collect Epiphany water.

It should be noted that the consecration of water in churches occurs both on January 18, Epiphany Eve (after the Divine Liturgy), and on the feast of the Epiphany itself. On these two days you can collect Epiphany holy water, and there is no difference when you collect it in the temple - January 18 or 19. If you decide to draw water from the tap, then, accordingly, the best period for this will be the period of time from 00:10 to 01:30, which falls on the night of January 18th to 19th, and the water You can also dial later, throughout the 19th (before 24:00).

It is forbidden to quarrel and do bad things when holy water is in your hands.

Epiphany 2018: Signs

This holiday has many signs, both regarding everyday life and nature:

It is bad luck to dilute consecrated water;

Starting from Christmas Eve, it is not recommended to lend money. Otherwise, the culprit may lack money for a year;

You cannot perceive a holiday only as entertainment to plunge into an ice hole;

A good omen for Epiphany is the completion of some task;

Any agreement on this day necessarily ends in success;

Nature at Epiphany also says a lot:

Heavy snowfall and dark clouds on Epiphany foretell a rich harvest in the fall;

Barking dogs at night is good news;

A cross painted on the doors can protect the house from evil spirits;

During the holidays, nothing can be taken out of the house, otherwise there will be material losses.