Epiphany-2023: how to properly celebrate the holiday and not get sick

It is this holiday – January 6, according to the old style and January 19, according to the new one – that ends two weeks of Christmas time, “Russian Halloween”. When the evil spirit is not exactly legalized, no, of course, but between two bright holidays at once, Christmas and Epiphany, it seems to be safe, because it is powerless.

So it was at Christmas time that we used to (and in some islands of the revival of traditional culture – and now) adopted funny games with mummers and walking around the houses of children in order to amuse themselves, the owners and “shoot” sweets for the holiday. In other words, carols. The difference from the same on Halloween is that carols and carols were never combined, and gracious songs were sung to the owners — “Christ was praised.”

All this, we must admit, was terribly fun, but it was left behind: on Epiphany Christmas Eve, a strict fast is observed. This is a purely ecclesiastical component of preparation for the holiday. But there is also folk (also ancient): since all the water (even in the river, even from the tap, if only not from a puddle or other dirty place) on Epiphany night and on the Epiphany itself is considered consecrated, they strove to swim in it – on happiness, so to speak. And what we have here “Jordan” need to cut through the ice – so only the spirit is tempered! So, let’s look at both sides of the holiday.

Where is the faith, where is the tradition

The traditional dish of Epiphany Christmas Eve is sochivo, which is made from cereals (for example, wheat or rice), honey and raisins. As you can guess from the name, this dish was eaten before and before Christmas – hence the name of Christmas Eve.

Then comes the turn of the festive service, during which the Epiphany water is blessed. According to the priest Philip Ilyashenko, the tradition to collect this water for the future — just more ecclesiastical than “cooking”. Treating baptismal water should be reverent, because. it is a great shrine; they store it in the house in a special way: in no case do they put it in a dirty corner, only near the icons on a special shelf.

– Epiphany water should be drunk on an empty stomach with prayer when you want to be closer to God, although it does not replace full communion, — says the priest. — The same water can be sprinkled on the house.

Where and how to take baptismal water? To do this, you need to go to the temple. The water is blessed twice. On the eve of January 18, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, the Rite of the Great Blessing of Water, which is also called the Great Agiasma. And the second time – on the day of Theophany, January 19, at the Divine Liturgy. However, if this is not possible, we repeat: in general, any water for Baptism is considered blessed from above.

An Orthodox Christian must definitely go to church on this day. Divine services are held several times: in the morning and evening on Christmas Eve (January 18), and then in the afternoon on January 19. A believer needs to attend the liturgy, go to confession and take communion. The main prayer that needs to be learned on this holiday is the Epiphany troparion:

“In Jordan, baptized by You, Lord, Trinity worship appeared: For the voice of your parents testified to You, calling Your beloved Son, and the Spirit in the form of a dove informed your Word of affirmation. Appear, Christ God, and enlighten the world, glory to Thee.

“As for bathing, we must understand that this is a tradition, but not an obligation for a Christian,” adds Fr. Philip. — I would say this: this is a near-church ritual, and not a single priest will ever reproach you for refusing to plunge into the hole. It seems to me that for many generations of Russian people, swimming in an ice hole is rather a drive, overcoming oneself, an opportunity to show daring, courage. Undress in the cold, plunge into the icy water, get out … oh! Of course it’s adrenaline. “However, we must not forget: on the day of the Epiphany, the entire watery nature is consecrated, and you can touch it anywhere.

So, you can take a bath in your own apartment, and it will be “counted”. If you relax on the beach in a warm country and swim in the sea – too. Yes, and in the fitness club, and in the water park – on Epiphany everywhere “Jordan”. True, this has nothing to do with church canons.

“Ice water is a kind of snag; it seems to many that it is the courage needed for such a bath that confirms the strength of faith, but this is not so, — concludes the priest. — Even more questions are raised by folk rituals that often accompany Epiphany bathing in the hole. Overturning a glass of vodka “for courage” (or after swimming – “for warming up”), peppy cries when immersed in ice water or even dirty swearing from shock nullify the whole possible meaning of the holiday.

After covid – no need

Nevertheless, in Moscow alone, about 100,000 residents are going to take part in Epiphany bathing. This was announced by the head of the department of control and supervision activities of the Center of the State Inspectorate for Small Vessels of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia in Moscow Vyacheslav Krashevsky. 46 specially equipped ice holes have been organized in the capital, which will be consecrated on the afternoon of January 18. They will work all night and the next day.

Most of the ice holes were made in the TiNAO – there are as many as 15 of them. The least of all – in the North-Eastern Administrative District (there you can only take a dip in the Ostankino Palace Pond). The ice holes were made in approximately the same places as in previous years – for example, in the North-West Administrative District, these are the Stroginskaya floodplain, the Scarlet Sails yacht port, Pokrovskoye-Streshnevo and other places. A complete list of swimming spots can be found on the city portal mos.ru.

Rescuers and an ambulance crew will be on duty near each hole. And this is not an empty precaution: Epiphany bathing is a significant shake-up for the body. Therefore, doctors almost unanimously warn against thoughtless dashing in this matter.

— Let’s be honest: it’s called winter swimming, — says the therapist, immunologist Irina Yartseva. — You need to start a little, even in the summer to start swimming in cool water. You have to train your body. It is best to swim in the same reservoir all year round, and take a contrast shower at home. Going out in January in the cold, well, even if we are promised plus five degrees, it is completely unacceptable, this is stress for the body. Even for an absolutely healthy organism, this is not very useful, let alone for an imperfect one. It can be dangerous: at least hypothermia spares no one, the doctor explains.

In recent years – or rather, after the arrival of the coronavirus in our lives – the risks of Epiphany bathing have become even higher, said a cardiologist at one of the Moscow hospitals. “One of the common complications of COVID-19 was thrombosis of different localization; this disease, especially if it proceeded in a severe form, has enough other cardiovascular complications. I categorically do not recommend such stress as winter swimming to any of my patients who have had covid. Even more I will say: I forbid. The deterioration of the condition, for example, in the case of a blood clot, can be lightning fast, and even the crew of the ambulance at the bathing place may not help in this case.

The official press service of the Ministry of Health adds to this that winter swimming can be extremely risky for those who have suffered serious cardiovascular diseases (heart attack, stroke). Against this background, we agree that Epiphany fortune-telling looks much more harmless tradition – yes, this, again, is completely unorthodox, but Epiphany night is considered the last night of Christmas time, and the girls, as we know from Zhukovsky’s lines, were sure to guess that night.

So you can guess who wants and what to eat – of course, you can. This is beautiful and not harmful – unless, of course, you try to guess at the conjuncture of the ruble exchange rate and then do not make large bets on this basis.