Immersion in an ice hole on Epiphany, a popular holiday ritual among many Ukrainians today, has fairly modern origins. Although this tradition is often perceived as an ancient and integral part of Ukrainian culture, its history suggests otherwise.
Bathing in a hole on Epiphany is not an ancient custom typical of Ukrainian lands. In the Christian tradition, the main rite associated with this holiday is the blessing of water. In the past, the baptism of newly converted believers was the key event of this day.
It is believed that immersion in water on Epiphany is a kind of “rudiment” of the practice of mass baptism of believers, which was carried out in the first centuries of Christianity. However, the custom of bathing in a hole after the consecration of water gained popularity only in the post-Soviet period, when “bandyugans” who pretended to be officials began to take pictures and show what “pious people” they were and bathed on Epiphany. This kind of fun on the holiday was especially widespread in Russian territory.
In the memoirs of the Cossack era, there are stories about how the Cossacks, the Ukrainians of that time, treated the consecration of water on Epiphany with respect. People would go for water with their own vessels and never step into the newly consecrated water, which they would reverently collect for themselves at home.
The tradition of baptismal bathing in holy water comes from the territories where Christianity was born, including the Roman Empire. In the lands that were previously part of this empire, winters are not as severe as ours. It is worth noting that in Greece there is a tradition of taking a cross out of the water, which the bishop throws out, and many people swim and dive after it. This is a church-wide fun.
And ice-hole diving should be perceived as a kind of festive folk entertainment, not as a religious tradition.
How to properly bathe on Epiphany
Therapist Tetyana Gradyk explained how to properly dive into a hole. It is mandatory to follow these rules:
- People should not be hungry.
- You should not stay in the water for longer than 3-5 seconds.
- It is better to dip only up to the neck so as not to get your hair wet. If your hair remains dry, the likelihood of getting an acute respiratory viral infection will decrease.
- Before diving, prepare dry towels and clothes so that you can dry off and get dressed immediately after diving.
Only under such conditions will diving be safe.
Who should not swim at Epiphany?
reminds that people with:
- chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system and previous heart attack;
- hypertension;
- diseases of the nervous system (for example, epilepsy);
- traumatic brain injuries;
- disorders of the cerebral vessels;
- endocrine diseases, including diabetes;
- skin and venereal diseases;
- recent surgeries or serious injuries.
People with glaucoma, acute inflammatory diseases of the nasopharynx, paranasal sinuses or ears, conjunctivitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchial asthma should also avoid diving. Those with diseases of the genitourinary system, gastrointestinal tract, for example, stomach ulcer, cholecystitis should also not dive.
The doctor also explained whether children can swim on Epiphany :
“I would not recommend dipping children under the age of three into a hole. If a child is between 3 and 10 years old, they can only swim in a hole with the permission of a pediatrician. Children must be healthy to dive into icy water, and before swimming they must undergo training, gradually hardening daily or at least weekly for a year. During hardening, the temperature in which children bathe should be gradually reduced.”
According to the therapist, 10-year-old children can try diving into a hole with adults after prior preparation, if they have no contraindications for swimming.
