Day of diving into the ice hole (Epiphany bathing)

Swimming in cold water after visiting a steam room has long been practiced in Rus' as a way to harden the body and get rid of illnesses. For the purpose of symbolic cleansing from sins, Christians visit holy springs throughout the year. At Epiphany, immersion in ice water three times takes on special meaning and power. It is believed that on January 19 (January 6, old style) John the Baptist bathed Jesus in the Jordan River near the village of Betha-Vara. Therefore, every year on this date there is Ice Diving Day. Winter swimming in street ponds ends with Christmastide - a festive period of time that lasts from Christmas until Epiphany Eve. According to doctors, diving into an ice hole is a shock therapy for the body, so it is useful only for healthy and seasoned people. The rest should stop at dousing with cold water at home and taking a contrast shower. However, despite the warnings of doctors, believers with health problems plunge into the font with the hope of healing, deliverance from sins and cleansing of the mind. The tradition of diving into an ice hole among Orthodox Christians is associated with memories of how Jesus sanctified the Jordan River with his ablution. It is believed that on the night of January 18-19, the grace of the Holy Spirit descends on running and standing waters. The tradition of immersion in an ice hole is not a church rite and is not prescribed by the charter. Immersion in cold water as a ritual is not mentioned in ancient Christian sources. From a church point of view, on January 19, it is imperative to defend the divine service in the temple. Not only bathing at Epiphany, but also fasting, receiving communion and reading prayers helps to achieve healing, enlightenment of the mind and relief from despondency. Orthodox believers began diving into the ice hole en masse in the late 1980s. This was due to social changes in society, a revival of interest in the church and the Christian religion. Despite the fact that neither in Ancient Rus' nor in pre-revolutionary Russia the tradition of cutting through ice and plunging into the font at Epiphany did not exist, bathing gradually became a favorite folk pastime and spread beyond the country. Today believers from Belarus and Moldova, Ukraine and Kazakhstan are diving into the ice hole. On January 19, 2007, Epiphany bathing took place for the first time in the capital of China, Beijing. On this day, Orthodox people collect water, upon which the grace of the Holy Spirit has descended, into containers for washing, ingesting on an empty stomach, or adding to food. The beneficial properties of H2O have been scientifically confirmed. Epiphany water becomes soft and biologically active due to a change in structure - a decrease in acidity and an increase in electromagnetic indicators. Researchers find a scientific explanation for this: on January 19, once a year, a large accumulation of radical ions is observed in the Earth's lithosphere. Their concentration gives the water healing properties. Atheists are convinced that this process is natural, and the Christian church is simply using this natural phenomenon for its own purposes. Due to the decrease in electrical conductivity in Epiphany water, the growth of microorganisms is suppressed. Therefore, it is truly distinguished by its special transparency and purity. The ritual of washing three times in ice water with reading prayers, anointing with myrrh and oil has great religious significance for the soul of the believer and has practical benefits for the body. Therefore, on January 19, every year, thousands of Russians celebrate Ice Diving Day by plunging into icy plunge pools at night.