on January 19, many Orthodox Christians celebrated Epiphany Day by taking frigid plunges in lakes and ponds to commemorate Jesus’ baptism.
According to Christian Today, Orthodox Christians in Russia and the
Ukraine celebrate Epiphany Day yearly by plunging into holes cut into
the thick ice of lakes and ponds. The holes in the ice are often cut out
in the shape of Christian or Orthodox crosses.
Even though the weather in Russia and the Ukraine was below zero in
many places, Orthodox Christians jumped into icy waters at midnight on
Epiphany Day while a priest said a prayer.
In Moscow’s Revolution Square, Russian Liberal Democratic Party Leader
Vladimir Zhirinovsky led the Epiphany Day celebration. Tubs filled with
ice water were placed in the square to represent the icy waters of
lakes.
Christian Today notes that while Russian Orthodox Christians follow the
Julian Calendar and celebrate Epiphany day on January 19, other
Orthodox Christians such as the Greeks, Bulgarians, or the Czech,
celebrate it on January 6.
“There are some hardy swimmers who don their swimsuits for an early
morning cold drip every year in the Serpentine of London's Hyde Park on
Christmas Day,'' according to Mirror UK. "It's a freezing adventure with
temperatures often dipping below zero at the time of year.''
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