Epiphany, celebrated by Orthodox Christians on January 19, marks the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Precursor in the Jordan River.
Being innocent, Jesus Christ had no need of being baptised, but the act of Lord’s Baptism, as Orthodox songs say, ‘drowned the sins of the whole world in the waters of the Jordan’ and made water holy.
The act of baprism is seen as his manifestation to the world as the Son of God. According to tradition, the baptism of Jesus also marked one of only two occasions when all three Persons of the Trinity manifested themselves simultaneously to humanity: God the Father by speaking through the clouds, God the Son being baptised in the river, and God the Holy Spirit in the shape of a dove descending from heaven.
The Orthodox Church conducts the rite of the Great Sanctification of the Water on that day (or the eve before). Moreover, the feast is associated with some believers’ bathing in the winter ice-hole, although it is just a tradition and has nothing to do with church canons.
The Minsk authorities equipped some sites for those who would like to bathe on Epiphany. One can go deep into the water from the evening of January 18 to January 20.
Medics give the following words of advice to bathers so that they could avoid unfortunate consequences for health:
- Of course, you can not drink alcohol: it puts a strain on the heart;
- It is best to start hardening a few weeks before the Epiphany: at least take a contrast shower;
- Immediately before bathing it is recommended to warm up or jog to prepare the body;
- To avoid hypothermia, it is better to limit yourself to 10 seconds in the water;
- About an hour before bathing it is a good idea to eat, and afterwards drink hot tea.
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