One of the most interesting church holidays - Epiphany. This is the day when John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ. On the day of the celebration, particularly brave believers swim in an ice hole called the Jordan.
Even if there are no severe frosts in Moscow (and there are always frosts on Epiphany), swimming will still be an Epiphany experience. According to legend, all water at Epiphany becomes holy, no matter what its temperature.
Bathing on Epiphany is not a mandatory ritual. Epiphany water does not wash away sins at all, as some Moscow sinners (which we all are) think.
Of course, if you are not a walrus, then it is better to start dousing yourself a little cold water in the soul, starting with the legs, spasm of the blood vessels of the brain and heart has not yet been canceled. If you decide that you are ready, it is best to take the plunge gradually, going into the icy water up to your chest and holding your breath.
Running into the water and diving is not worth it even for the most seasoned. When swimming, dip for 10 seconds to a minute.
And of course, you shouldn’t swim naked - it’s a church holiday after all. Men can swim in swimming trunks, women are better off swimming in a nightgown.
In order to plunge into the ice hole, you need to take with you:
- Large body towel
- Small towel - for feet
- Bathrobe
It is best to dress in natural clothes - cotton, wool, loose shoes, preferably mittens and not gloves, a fur or wool hat, a sweater.
Before swimming, you should undress from the bottom up - from your shoes. After swimming, you need to dress from top to bottom, covering your chest first. Try not to walk after swimming in an ice hole; there is a high risk of chronic diseases.
An important rule: refrain from drinking alcohol and smoking before and after swimming. There is absolutely no point in increasing the load on the heart. Do not dive on an empty or too full stomach.
- Don't swim alone
- Take a spare with you comfortable shoes(felt boots or felt boots), dry, comfortable clothes that are easy to unfasten and fasten
- Take a towel with a blanket and a thermos with hot tea
- Before swimming, do a warm-up, then undress
- After undressing, go straight into the ice hole; you can’t freeze in the cold
- If you are swimming for the first time, it is better not to plunge three times, but after going into the water up to your chest, wash yourself ice water
- After swimming, rub your body with a towel until warm and quickly get dressed.
- If you feel unwell, see a doctor immediately!
You cannot swim in an ice hole if you have:
- Weak heart
- Diseases of the genitourinary system
- Disease of the stomach or nasopharynx
- Blood pressure problems
- Diabetes
- Pregnancy
- It is better not to drag small children into the ice hole with you and not to swim if your age does not allow it
Where to swim in an ice hole in Moscow
1. Revolution Square. Metro "Revolution Square"
2. Park "Kuzminki-Lublino"
3. Upper Kuzminsky pond, Kuzminskaya street, 10;
4. Shibaevsky pond, Zarechye street, ow. 14;
5. Nizhny Lyublinsky pond, Shkuleva street, ow. 26.
6. Serebryany Bor metro station "Polezhaevskaya"
7. st. Tamanskaya, 91 (trolleybus No. 20, 21 to the terminus).
8. Verkhniy-Tsaritsinsky pond, Tsaritsino metro station
9. PKiO "Sokolniki" metro station "Sokolniki", Sokolnichesky Val street, 1.
10. Lake Svyatoe, metro station "Novokosino", "Vykhino", Oranzhereynaya street, 18.
11. Lake Beloe, metro station "Novokosino", "Vykhino", B. Kosinskaya street, 46.
12. Terletsky Ponds, Novogireevo metro station, Svobodny Prospekt, 9.
13. Font "Vernissage in Izmailovo", metro station "Partizanskaya, Izmailovskoe highway, 73Zh
14. Babaevsky Pond, Shchelkovskaya metro station, Kurganskaya street, 5-9.
15. Dyakovsky pond in Kolomenskoye, Kolomenskaya metro station, Andropov Avenue, 39.
16. Pond Beket, Tulskaya metro station, Zagorodnoe highway
17. Landscape park "Mitino", metro station "Mitino", Baryshikha street, 4.
18. PKiO "Northern Tushino", metro station "Planernaya", Svobody Street, 56.
19. Moscow River Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, Strogino metro station, Odintsovskaya street
20. Stroginskaya floodplain, metro station "Strogino, Tvardovskogo street, 16.
All organized swimming areas will have warm changing cabins and free hot tea.
When to swim on Epiphany - January 18 or 19- this question is asked very often on the days of Epiphany and Epiphany.
The most important thing you need to know about the Baptism of the Lord is not when to swim (it is not at all necessary to plunge into an ice hole on this day), but that on this day the Lord Jesus Christ himself was baptized. Therefore, on January 18 in the evening and January 19 in the morning, it is important to be in church for the service, confess, take communion and take holy water, the great agiasma.
They bathe, according to tradition, after the evening service on January 18 and on the night of January 18-19. Access to the fonts is usually open on January 19 throughout the day.
Common questions about bathing at Epiphany
Is it necessary to swim in an ice hole at Epiphany?
Is it necessary to swim at Epiphany? And if there is no frost, will bathing be Epiphany?
In any church holiday, it is necessary to distinguish between its meaning and the traditions that have developed around it. The main thing in the feast of the Epiphany is the Epiphany, the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist, the voice of God the Father from heaven “This is my beloved Son” and the Holy Spirit descending on Christ. The main thing for a Christian on this day is presence at a church service, confession and Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, communion Epiphany water.
The established traditions of swimming in cold ice holes are not directly related to the Feast of the Epiphany itself, are not mandatory and, most importantly, do not cleanse a person of sins, which, unfortunately, is discussed a lot in the media.
Such traditions should not be treated as magical rites - the holiday of the Epiphany is celebrated by Orthodox Christians in hot Africa, America, and Australia. After all, the palm branches of the feast of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem were replaced by willows in Russia, and the consecration of grapevines on the Transfiguration of the Lord was replaced by the blessing of the apple harvest. Also, on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord, all waters will be sanctified, regardless of their temperature.
Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev
Probably, we should start not with swimming in the Epiphany frosts, but with the most blessed feast of Epiphany. By the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, all water, in all its forms, is sanctified, because for two thousand years the water of the Jordan River, which touched the blessed body of Christ, rose to the heavens millions of times, floated in the clouds and again returned as raindrops to the earth. What is it in - in trees, lakes, rivers, grass? Pieces of her are everywhere. And now the feast of Epiphany is approaching, when the Lord gives us an abundance of consecrated water. Concern awakens in every person: what about me? After all, this is my chance to cleanse myself! Don't miss it! And so people, without hesitation, even with some kind of despair, rush to the ice hole and, having plunged, then talk about their “feat” for a whole year. Did they partake of the grace of our Lord or did they gratify their pride?
An Orthodox man walks calmly from one church holiday to another, observing fasts, confessing and receiving communion. And he prepares for Epiphany slowly, deciding with his family who, after confession and communion, will be honored to plunge into the Jordan, according to the ancient Russian tradition, and who, due to being a child or indisposed, will wash their face with holy water, or take a bath at a holy spring, or simply take holy water with prayer as a spiritual medicine. Thank God, we have plenty to choose from, and we don’t need to take risks thoughtlessly if a person is weakened by illness. The Jordan is not a Pool of Sheep (see John 5:1-4), and must be approached with caution. An experienced priest will not bless everyone for a bath. He will take care of choosing a place, strengthening the ice, gangplanks, a warm place for undressing and dressing, and the presence of one of the Orthodox medical workers. Here, mass baptism will be appropriate and beneficial.
Another thing is the mass of desperate people who decided, without a blessing or just basic thought, to swim “for company” in icy water. Here we're talking about not about the strength of the spirit, but about the strength of the body. A strong spasm of skin vessels in response to the action of cold water leads to the fact that a mass of blood rushes into internal organs- heart, lungs, brain, stomach, liver, and for people with poor health this can end badly.
The danger especially increases for those who were preparing for “purification” in the ice hole by smoking and alcohol. The flow of blood to the lungs will only increase chronic inflammation of the bronchi, which always accompanies smoking, and can cause swelling of the bronchial wall and pneumonia. Long-term use of alcohol or acute intoxication and warm water constantly lead to misfortunes, let alone swimming in an ice hole. The arterial vessels of an alcoholic or a domestic drunkard, even if he is relatively young, are not able to respond correctly to massive cold exposure; in these cases, paradoxical reactions can be expected, including cardiac and respiratory arrest. With such bad habits and in such a state, it is better not to approach the ice hole.
Archpriest Sergius Vogulkin, rector of the temple in the name of the icon Mother of God“Vsetsaritsa” of the city of Yekaterinburg, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor:
– Explain, after all, why Orthodox person swim in icy water on Epiphany when it’s thirty degrees below zero outside?
Priest Svyatoslav Shevchenko:- We need to differentiate folk customs and church liturgical practice. The Church does not call believers to climb into icy water - everyone decides for themselves individually. But today the custom of plunging into a frosty hole has become something newfangled for non-church people. It is clear that in large Orthodox holidays There is a religious upsurge in the Russian people - and there is nothing wrong with that. But what is not very good is that people limit themselves to this superficial ablution. Moreover, some seriously believe that by bathing in the Epiphany Jordan, they will wash away all the sins that have accumulated over the year. These are pagan superstitions, and they have nothing in common with church teaching. Sins are forgiven by the priest in the sacrament of Penance. Besides this, in our search for thrills we miss the main point feast of the Epiphany.
Where did the tradition of diving into an ice hole at Epiphany come from? Is it necessary for every Orthodox Christian to do this? Do priests bathe in ice water? What is the place of this tradition in the Christian hierarchy of values?
Archpriest Vladimir Vigilyansky, rector of the Church of the Martyr Tatiana at Moscow State University:
Faith is not tested by swimming
- at Epiphany - a relatively new tradition. Neither in historical literature about Ancient Rus', I didn’t read in my memoirs about pre-revolutionary Russia that somewhere on Epiphany they cut through the ice and swam. But there is nothing wrong with this tradition itself, you just need to understand that the Church has no one to swim in cold water does not force.
The consecration of water is a reminder that the Lord is everywhere, sanctifying the entire nature of the earth, and the earth was created for man, for life. Without understanding that God is with us everywhere, without spiritual understanding of the feast of Epiphany, Epiphany bathing turns into a sport, a love of extreme sports. It is important to feel the presence of the Trinity, which permeates all natural nature, and to join precisely this presence. And the rest, including bathing in a consecrated spring, is just a relatively new tradition.
I serve in the center of Moscow, far from the water, so swimming is not practiced in our parish. But, for example, I know that in the Trinity Church in Ostankino, which is located near the Ostankino ponds, they consecrate the water and wash themselves with it. Those who have been swimming for more than a year should continue to swim. And if a person wants to join this tradition for the first time, I would advise him to think about whether his health allows him, whether he tolerates the cold well. Faith is not tested by bathing.
Archpriest Konstantin Ostrovsky, rector of the Assumption Church in Krasnogorsk, dean of churches in the Krasnogorsk district:
The spiritual meaning is in the blessing of water, not in bathing
- Today the Church does not prohibit swimming in reservoirs, but before the revolution it had a negative attitude towards it. Father Sergius Bulgakov in his “Handbook for a Clergyman” writes the following:
“...In some places there is a custom of bathing in rivers on this day (especially those who dressed up, told fortunes, etc., bathed during Christmas time, superstitiously attributing to this bath a cleansing power from these sins). Such a custom cannot be justified by the desire to imitate the example of the Savior’s immersion in water, as well as the example of Palestinian pilgrims who bathe in the Jordan River at all times. In the east it is safe for pilgrims, because there is no such cold and such frosts as ours.
The belief in the healing and purifying power of water, consecrated by the Church on the very day of the Savior’s baptism, cannot speak in favor of such a custom, because swimming in winter means demanding a miracle from God or completely neglecting one’s life and health.”
(S. V. Bulgakov, “Handbook for priests and church ministers”, Publishing department of the Moscow Patriarchate, 1993, reprint of the 1913 edition, p. 24, footnote 2)
In my opinion, if you do not associate bathing with pagan beliefs, there is nothing wrong with it. Those who are healthy enough can take a dip, but don’t look for any spiritual meaning in it. Epiphany water has spiritual significance, but you can drink a drop of it, or sprinkle it on yourself, and it is absurd to think that the one who has bathed will necessarily receive more grace than the one who drank a sip. Receiving grace does not depend on this.
Not far from one of the churches of our deanery, in Opalikha, there is a clean pond, I know that the clergy of the temple sanctify the water there. Why not? The Typikon allows this. Of course, at the end of the liturgy or, when Christmas Eve falls on Saturday or Sunday, at the end of Great Vespers. The consecration of water by the Great Rite at other times is permissible in exceptional cases.
For example, it happens that one priest is the rector of three rural churches at once. He cannot serve two liturgies a day. And so the priest serves and blesses the water in one temple, and travels to two others, sometimes tens of kilometers away, to bless the water especially for local residents. Then, of course, let's say Great rank. Or in a nursing home, if it is impossible to perform the Epiphany liturgy there, you can also perform the Great Blessing of Water.
If, for example, a pious rich man wants to sanctify the water in his pond, there is nothing wrong with this, but in this case it is necessary to sanctify it with the Lesser Rite.
Well, when, as in Opalikha, after the prayer behind the pulpit, procession, the water in the pond is blessed, and then everyone returns to the temple and finishes the liturgy, the church rite is not violated. And whether the priests and parishioners will then plunge into the ice hole is everyone’s personal matter. You just need to approach this wisely.
One of our parishioners is an experienced walrus, she even goes to walrus competitions. Naturally, she enjoys bathing at Epiphany too. But people become walruses by gradually tempering them. If a person is not frost-resistant and often catches colds, it would be unreasonable on his part to climb into an ice hole without preparation. If he thus wants to be convinced of the power of God, then let him consider whether he is not tempting the Lord by this.
There was a case when an elderly hieromonk - I knew him - decided to pour ten buckets of Epiphany water on himself. During such a dousing, he died - his heart could not stand it. Like any swimming in cold water, Epiphany bathing requires preliminary preparation. Then it can be beneficial to health, but without preparation it can be harmful.
I'm talking about physical health, perhaps mental health - cold water invigorates - but not spiritual health. There is spiritual meaning in the very sacrament of consecration of water, and not in bathing. It is not so important whether a person bathes in the Epiphany ice hole; it is much more important whether he comes to the festive liturgy or the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
Naturally, as an Orthodox priest, I wish everyone not only to come on this day for Epiphany water, but to pray during the service and, if possible, receive communion. But all of us, Orthodox Christians, must treat people coming with love and understanding, with condescension towards human weakness. If someone comes only for water, it is wrong to tell him that he is this and that and will not receive grace. It’s not for us to judge this.
In my life story, I read how he advised one spiritual daughter, whose husband was an unbeliever, that she should give him prosphora. “Father, he eats it with soup,” she soon complained. "So what? Let it be with soup,” answered Father Alexy. And in the end, that man turned to God.
From this, of course, it does not follow that it is necessary to distribute prosphora to all unbelieving relatives, but the example given shows that God's grace often acts in a way that is incomprehensible to us. Same with water. The man came only for water, but perhaps, through these external actions, without realizing it, he is drawn to God and will eventually come to Him. For now, let us rejoice that he remembers the feast of Epiphany and came to church in the first place.
Archpriest Theodore Borodin, rector of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian on Maroseyka:
Swimming is just the beginning
The tradition of bathing at Epiphany is a late one. And one should treat it depending on why a person bathes. Let me make an analogy with Easter. Everyone knows that on Holy Saturday tens or even hundreds of thousands of people go to church to bless Easter cakes.
If they really don’t know that this is only a tiny part of the joy that Easter is for a believer, they come to church with reverence and sincerely pray, for them it is still a meeting with the Lord.
If, from year to year, they hear that this is not the most important thing, and the priest, blessing the Easter cakes, each time invites them to come to the night service, to share with everyone the joy of the Risen Lord, explains the meaning of the service, and their communication with the Church still comes down to the blessing of Easter cakes, which is, of course, sad.
The same goes for swimming. If a person, completely unfamiliar with church life, plunges into the water with reverence, turning to the Lord in the way he knows how, sincerely desiring to receive grace, the Lord, of course, will give grace, and this person will have a meeting with God.
I think that when a person sincerely seeks God, sooner or later he will understand that bathing is just the beginning, and it is much more important to be at the all-night vigil and liturgy. If Epiphany bathing serves as a stepping stone to beginning to celebrate this holiday in a truly Christian way, at least in a few years, such bathing can only be welcomed.
Unfortunately, many people treat it simply as one of the extreme sports. Often the bathing of non-church people involves obscene jokes and excessive drinking. Just like the once popular wall-to-wall fights, such fun does not bring a person one step closer to the Lord.
But many of those who do not allow themselves any indecency do not come to the service - they usually swim at night and consider that they have already joined the holiday, sleep off, satisfied with themselves - they have proven that they are strong in body and their faith is strong. They proved it to themselves, but this is self-deception.
Of course, it is not necessary to swim at night, you can after the service. Our church is located in the center, there is nowhere to swim nearby, but some parishioners travel to other areas or to the Moscow region. Sometimes they consult with me, I never object if I see that a person is really doing this for the sake of the Lord. But one priest I know, a very good one, plunged into an ice hole for several years in a row and fell ill every time after that. This means that his bathing was displeasing to the Lord, and the Lord admonished him through his illness - now he does not bathe.
I've never swam either. It’s quite a long way for me to travel to the nearest consecrated reservoirs; if I spend half the night on the road and swimming, I won’t be able to confess to the parishioners and serve the liturgy as I should. But sometimes my mother, my children and I doused ourselves with Epiphany water on the street, in the snow. I live outside the city, and after returning from the all-night vigil, the whole family doused themselves. But it’s possible outside the city; in Moscow you won’t be able to do that.
Archpriest Alexy Uminsky, rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Khokhly, confessor of the St. Vladimir Orthodox Gymnasium:
And what does Baptism have to do with it?
I’m somehow not particularly puzzled by the issue of night Epiphany diving. If a person wants to, let him dive; if he doesn’t want to, let him not dive. Just what does diving in an ice hole have to do with the feast of the Epiphany?
For me, these dips are just fun, extreme. Our people love something so unusual. Lately It has become fashionable and popular to dive into an ice hole at Epiphany, then drink vodka, and then tell everyone about your such Russian piety.
This is a Russian tradition, like fist fights on Maslenitsa. It has exactly the same relation to the celebration of Epiphany as fist fights have to the celebration of Forgiveness Resurrection.
According to established tradition, January is full of various holidays, including Orthodox ones. After the New Year comes Christmas, then Christmastide, which ends with the feast of the Epiphany. The holiday is celebrated every year on January 19th.
For many of us, it is significant with the traditional Epiphany ritual - swimming in an ice hole. If you haven't taken this bold step yet, you will soon have the opportunity. It is believed that it is at this time that water has special power, so by taking a swim you can gain health for the whole year.
Swimming at Epiphany in Moscow
Muscovites and guests of the capital have long observed the traditions of Epiphany bathing - in reservoirs, regardless of weather conditions On January 19, thousands of people gather to take a dip in the ice hole. For the convenience of citizens, bathing points are created in each separate area of the city. Locker rooms and points selling hot drinks will be installed next to them, doctors and rescuers will be on duty to avoid injuries or other accidents.
Epiphany water has healing properties- heals illnesses and mental wounds, provides protection from the evil eye and other people’s unkind thoughts, and therefore the ritual of bathing at baptism is practically holy for every believer.
Those who cannot plunge into the ice hole for objective reasons try to at least take a bath at home on the night of baptism in order to cleanse themselves of sins and receive the blessing of heaven for the next year.
Where to swim in Moscow on Epiphany January 19, 2019
One of main tradition The holy holiday of Epiphany involves mass bathing in ponds or fonts. A huge cross is carved into the ice, and the clergy consecrate these fonts. On this page you will find full list places in Moscow where you can swim on Epiphany.
About 60 swimming pools will open in Moscow. You can plunge into the ice hole from 18:00 on January 18 to 18:00 on January 19. This was announced by Deputy Mayor for Housing, Communal Services and Improvement Pyotr Biryukov at a meeting of the Presidium of the Moscow Government.
Epiphany bathing areas are equipped with flooring with anti-slip coatings. Changing rooms, heating points and mobile toilets will be installed here. Each site will be illuminated, and parking will be provided nearby. In addition, teams will be assigned to each swimming area for timely cleaning.
Police officers will ensure security both in the temple areas and in bathing areas. Also, ambulance teams will be on duty at each swimming area, and hot food and temporary retail outlets will open.
How to swim properly on Epiphany
Epiphany bathing is a tradition that is followed year after year by a huge number of believers.
But for holiday swimming to really bring benefits, it should be done while adhering to important rules.
Make sure your body is prepared for swimming in such cold conditions. To do this, you should visit a doctor and undergo a consultation with him, and also pass all necessary tests and tests.
- Choose a good, proven place for swimming. The hole should not be too deep and fenced off in the right places so that someone does not accidentally fall into it.
- Warm up thoroughly before the bathing procedure: run in place, squat, etc. But you should know when to stop, you don’t need to be too zealous. But under no circumstances use alcohol to warm your body! You will get a false effect of warmth, but immediately after entering the water you will begin to freeze even faster.
- According to Orthodox tradition, a true believer should plunge headlong into the ice hole three times. However, not everyone takes such a risk, and for good reason, because this is a rather dangerous action for the health of the head. In addition, swimming
Baptism is considered a tradition, therefore, not being completely immersed in the ice hole will not be considered a sin.
- Do not stay in the ice hole longer than the allotted time if you feel a rush of pleasure. Such sensations are just your body’s reaction to the cold temperature of the water. Even an extra minute in such cold water can be enough to harm human health.
- Immediately after swimming, warm up properly. Dry yourself from head to toe with a towel and put on dry clothes as quickly as possible. Then be sure to drink some warming drink, for example, tea or coffee from a thermos.
Attention! Doctors categorically prohibit children from swimming in the cold! Young children, especially infants, have an imperfect thermoregulation system. Frostbite can happen very quickly and parents simply do not have time to notice it. The consequences of such bathing can be very serious: the child may get pneumonia, meningitis, or another disease of the central nervous system. nervous system.
What you need for swimming in an ice hole
- towel and terry robe, a set of dry clothes;
- swimming trunks or swimsuit (underwear, shirt);
- slippers so as not to injure your feet, just to prevent them from slipping on the ice,
- rubber cap.
Full list of swimming places in Moscow and the Moscow region in 2019
| No. | An object | Address | Number of ice holes | Number of fonts |
| Central Administrative District | ||||
| 1 | Temple on Chisty Vrazhek | lane 1st Truzhennikov, 8 | - | 1 |
| SAO | ||||
| 1 | Big Garden Pond | B. Akademicheskaya, st. 47 | 1 | - |
| 2 | Coastal passage, 1-7 | 1 | - | |
| 3 | Water area of the Khimki reservoir | Leningradskoe highway, 47-49 | 1 | - |
| NEAD | ||||
| 1 | Palace Pond | Between st. Academician Queen and 1st Ostankino | 1 | - |
| VAO | ||||
| 1 | Lake "Holy" | st. Orangereinaya, 18 | 3 | - |
| 2 | Lake "White" | l. Zaozernaya, 2-6 | 2 | - |
| 3 | Recreation area "Terletskaya oakbrava", Alder pond | Svobodny Prospekt, 9 | 2 | - |
| 4 | Red Pond | Izmailovsky Forest Park, Main Alley | 1 | - |
| 5 | Font "Vernissage in Izmailovo" | Izmailovskoe highway, 73Zh | - | 1 |
| 6 | Babaevsky Pond | st. Kurganskaya, 5-9 | 1 | - |
| 7 | Deer Pond | Sokolniki Park | 2 | - |
| SEAD | ||||
| 1 | Shibaevsky Pond | St. Zarechye vl.14 | 1 | - |
| Southern Administrative District | ||||
| 1 | Tsaritsynsky pond | st. Dolskaya, 1 | 2 | - |
| 2 | Becket Pond | Zagorodnoe highway, 2 | 1 | - |
| 3 | Borisov Ponds | st. Borisovskie Ponds, 2g | 2 | - |
| South-Western Administrative District | ||||
| 1 | Vorontsovsky Pond | st. Ak. Pilyugina, 1 | 1 | - |
| 2 | Pond of the sanatorium “Uzkoe” | st. Profsoyuznaya 123B | 1 | - |
| 3 | Troparevsky Pond | st. Academician Vinogradova 7 | 1 | - |
| 4 | Pond on Nakhimovsky Prospekt | Nakhimovsky prospect, house 8 | 2 | - |
| 5 | Chernevsky Pond (decorative pond No. 1) | st. Yuzhnobutovskaya, 62 | 1 | - |
| 6 | Pond on the Temple grounds | Nikolay Sirotkin St., 28 “a” | 1 | - |
| Company | ||||
| 1 | Meshchersky Pond | st. Voskresenskaya 3a | 1 | - |
| 2 | Moskva river | Pos. Rublevo, st. V. Botyleva, 41 | 1 | - |
| 3 | Moskva river | st. B. Filevskaya, 40 a | 1 | - |
| 4 | Moskva river | Filevsky Blvd., 21 | 1 | - |
| SZAO | ||||
| 1 | Landscape park | st. Baryshikha vl. 4 | 1 | - |
| 2 | Pond in the village Rozhdestveno | Pond in the village Rozhdestveno (behind the Temple Nativity of Christ), Mitino district | 1 | - |
| 3 | Kirov floodplain | st. Isakovsky ow. 2 | 1 | - |
| 4 | Lake Bezdonnoe | st. Tamanskaya, 91 | 1 | - |
| 5 | Moskva river | Karamyshevskaya embankment, 13-15 | 1 | - |
| 6 | PIK "Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo" | Natural and historical park "Pokrovskoye-Streshnevo" pond No. 4 on the Chernushka river | 1 | - |
| 7 | PKiO "Northern Tushino" | st. Svobody 56 | 1 | - |
| 8 | Stroginskaya floodplain, Moscow River | st. Tvardovsky vl. 16 building 3 | 3 | - |
| 9 | Diversion channel (left bank) | st. Boat ow. 19 | 1 | - |
| 10 | Diversion channel (right bank) | st. Malaya Naberezhnaya 3, building 1 | 1 | - |
| 11 | Embankment of the Moscow River (left bank) | st. Zhivopisnaya 50 | 1 | - |
| ZelAO | ||||
| 1 | Lake "School" | 10 microdistrict, Filaretovskaya street, next to the beach area | 1 | - |
| 2 | Lake "Black" | 6 microdistrict, Lesnye Pondry alley near building 621 A, on the western side | 1 | - |
| TiNAO | ||||
| 1 | Holy spring and chapel-font in honor of the icon of the Mother of God of Kazan | Settlement Vnukovskoe village. DSK "Michurinets", st. Arseny Tarkovsky, next to the river. Setun | - | 1 |
| 2 | Church of the Intercession Holy Mother of God | Settlement Voronovskoye village. Pokrovskoe | 1 | - |
| 3 | Trinity Church d/o Voskresenskoe | Settlement Voskresenskoye, pos. Voskresenskoye, d/o "Voskresenskoye" | 1 | - |
| 4 | Font at the spring in the area of the village of Evseevo-Kuvekino | Settlement Desenovskoye, no. Evseevo-Kuvekino | - | 1 |
| 5 | Tovarishchevo village, Temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God | Settlement Klenovskoye, village Tovarishchevo | - | 1 |
| 6 | Pond on the river Treshnja | Settlement Klenovskoye, village Chernetskoye | 1 | - |
| 7 | Epiphany font | Settlement Krasnopakhorskoe, village. Bylovo, pond near St. Michael the Archangel Church | 1 | - |
| 8 | village of Marushkino People's Park "Rucheyok" | Settlement Marushkinskoye, no. Marushkino, Rucheyok People's Park | 1 | - |
| 9 | Bolshoye Svinoryeu Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands | Settlement Marushkinskoye, no. Bolshoye Svinorye, near the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands | 1 | - |
| 10 | Church of the New Martyrs of Podolsk in Shishkin Les | Settlement Mikhailovo-Yartsevskoye, Shishkin Les village, no. 43 | - | 1 |
| 11 | Temple St. Sergius Radonezh | Pos. d/o Pleskovo, on the territory of LLC “New Construction” | - | 1 |
| 12 | Moskovsky village, Ulyanovsk forest park village, block 30, Gloria LLC | village Moskovsky, village of Ulyanovsk forest park, block 30, LLC "Gloria" Temple-chapel of the icon of the Mother of God “Fadeless Color” | 1 | - |
| 13 | Middle pond of the Trinity Estate cascade | village Mosrentgen, near house No. 39 | 1 | - |
| 14 | village Pervomaivskoe, village Puchkovo, Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God | Settlement Pervomaiskoe, village Puchkovo | - | 1 |
| 15 | Vasyunino village, Holy Trinity Church | Trinity Church in the village of Vasyunino | - | 1 |
| 16 | R. "Desna" within the boundaries of the city district Troitsk Recreation area "Zarechye" | G.o. Troitsk, Recreation area "Zarechye" | 2 | - |
| 17 | Pond in the village of Knutovo | Settlement Filimonkovskoe, no. Knutovo | 1 | - |
| 18 | Font in the village of Oznobishino | Shchapovskoye settlement, Oznobishino village, near the Holy Trinity Church | 1 | |
| 19 | Temple complex of the icon of the Mother of God “Vsetsaritsa” and the Holy Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth in Shcherbinka | Shcherbinka, Zheleznodorozhnaya st., 15 | - | 1 |
| 20 | Pond in the village Epiphany | village Voronovskoye, Temple of the Epiphany, p. Epiphany | 1 | - |
Brief history of the holiday Epiphany
The baptism of Christ was performed by John the Baptist at his request. During his baptism on the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. At the same time, a Voice from Heaven declared: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
According to Christian teachings, it was on this day that God appeared in three persons: God the Father in voice, the Son of God in flesh, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. That is why the feast of Epiphany is often called Epiphany. The holiday of Epiphany is very important. It is believed that it was baptism that revealed the Savior to the world, who took upon himself all the sins of mankind. John Chrysostom wrote about this.
And it was from the moment of baptism that Jesus began to preach the word of God and enlighten people.
Until now, the main traditions of the Epiphany holiday are associated with water. And the clergy traditionally wear white vestments on the feast of Epiphany.
The celebration of Epiphany (January 19) begins the day before - January 18. This day is called Epiphany Christmas Eve, as well as Hungry Kutya. By analogy with Christmas Eve, on the day before the feast of the Epiphany, strict fasting must be observed.
Also on the eve of the feast of Epiphany, the Orthodox prepared Lenten kutya. The festive dinner on Epiphany Eve was called “hungry kutya”. The obligatory dishes of this meal were kutia, pancakes, and oatmeal jelly.
Kutya, kolivo, kanun - a ritual funeral dish of the Slavs, porridge cooked from whole grains of wheat (barley, rice - Saracen millet or other cereals), poured with honey, honey syrup or sugar, with the addition of poppy seeds, raisins, nuts, milk or jam.
An important event The Baptism of the Lord and Epiphany is the Blessing of Water. On a river or lake, a cross-shaped hole called Jordan is cut out in advance in the ice. At midnight, priests bless the water in the wormwood, and believers take a bath in blessed water.
People are not afraid of the cold, since bathing at Epiphany is a symbolic cleansing of sins, spiritual rebirth. Believers eagerly await the Feast of Epiphany, and when the Epiphany comes, Orthodox Christians are sure to attend church to remember the miraculous event that changed the world.
Video: Epiphany of the Lord - signs and superstitions for January 19
January 19 - Baptism, one of the most important Christian sacraments. On this day, daredevils must plunge into the ice hole three times. Those who do not dare to undertake such a feat can simply collect Epiphany water from the ice hole. Usually temples located near bodies of water consecrate them. However, it is not necessary to dive into a sacred lake or river. After all, it is believed that on Epiphany night all the water on the planet becomes holy for the whole day! This year, about 70 baths will appear in the capital, including one of them should be installed on Revolution Square. But the ice hole there is usually very large, so we will tell you about the most popular and convenient places where you can swim. All baths are equipped with convenient entrances to the water, there are changing rooms nearby, hot tea is served, and rescuers and doctors will monitor safety ().
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Troparion for the Feast of Epiphany In the Jordan I am baptized to You, O Lord, Trinitarian adoration appeared: for the voice of your parents testified to You, naming Your beloved Son, and the Spirit in the form of a dove announced your words of affirmation. Appear, Christ our God and enlightened world, glory to Thee.
IMPORTANT! You shouldn’t warm yourself up with alcohol before diving, it’s dangerous. It is better to warm up on the sports ground, a few squats will help disperse the blood, and immersion in water will be more comfortable. BY THE WAY Swimming in ice water is, to some extent, a feat; the body must be strong and tempered. You absolutely should not get into the font if you have problems with your kidneys, gynecology, thyroid gland or heart. Doctors also do not recommend winter swimming for diabetics, hypertensive patients and pregnant women. Those who have recently had a cold should not swim. Remember that you need to take with you: warm clothes to wear after swimming; a mat that is comfortable to stand on barefoot; hot tea that will help you warm up after ablution.
Addresses of the fonts
1, 4. Khimki Reservoir How to get there: Pribrezhny Ave., 1 - 7, one bay just beyond the MKAD bridge. To the bridge from the station. metro station "Voikovskaya" by trolleybus or on foot through the park from the Levoberezhnaya Oktyabrskaya railway station railway. Another bay is not far from the Soyuz hotel, which can be reached from the station. m. "River Station". 2. Channel named after. Moscow How to get there: from the station. m. "Rechnoy Vokzal", "Vodny Stadion" along Leningradskoye Shosse by bus to the "Moscow Canal" stop, then on foot. 3. Park "Northern Tushino" How to get there: the swimming place is located near the shore of the Khimki Reservoir, a 10-15 minute walk from the station. m. "Planernaya". 5. Ostankino Park How to get there: st. Academician Korolev, 12, st. metro station "VDNKh", then by trolleybus to the museum-estate "Ostankino". Features: across the street - Orthodox church. There you can pray and warm yourself. 6. Kirov floodplain of the Moscow River
How to get there: st. Isakovskogo, 6. 7. Large garden pond How to get there: B. Akademicheskaya st., 47, st. metro stations "Voikovskaya", "Petrovsko-Razumovskaya", then by bus or minibus to the stop "Stadium "Nauka". Features: flat shore and shallow depth. 8. Stroginskaya floodplain How to get there: from the station. m. "Schukinskaya" walk 10 - 15 minutes to the lowland near house No. 52 on Zhivopisnaya street. Features: two or three ice holes are cut out for Epiphany. 9. Zhivopisnaya Bay How to get there: st. M. "Molodezhnaya", then by bus. Features: flat bank, easy entry into the water. 10. Bottomless lake in Serebryany Bor How to get there: st. metro station "Polezhaevskaya", then take a trolleybus or minibus to Serebryany Bor, then follow the sign on foot through the forest. Features: the place with swimming pools in the Stroginskaya floodplain is considered one of the most popular places for winter swimming. There will also be several ice holes installed here so that everyone can take a dip. 11. Izmailovsky Park How to get there: st. m. "Pervomaiskaya", from 11th Parkovaya Street towards the pond there is an asphalt path. The ice hole on Lebedyansky Pond in the Izmailovsky Forest Park is located approximately in the middle of the western shore of the pond. 12. Terletsky Pond How to get there: Svobodny Avenue, vl. 2, Art. metro station "Novogireevo", then by bus to Izmailovsky Park. The ponds are located in its southern part. 13. Lake Beloe How to get there: B. Kosinskaya st., 46, st. metro station "Vykhino", then by bus to Kosino. 14. Neskuchny Garden How to get there: st. metro station "Shabolovskaya", "Leninsky Prospekt", then on foot. The font is located in Andreevsky Pond. 15. Holy Lake How to get there: Oranzhereynaya st., 18, st. metro station "Vykhino", then by bus or minibus. Features: one of the most popular swimming places. There are many legends associated with this place. For example, according to one legend, once on the site of this lake there was a small church where a priest lived. One day a wanderer came to him and dreamed that the city of Moscow would appear in the place where the Kremlin now stands. When they began to pray for future city, the church sank underground, water came out, and a lake was formed. Believers believe that the church is still located under the lake. 16. Meshchersky Pond How to get there: Voskresenskaya st., 5, st. m. "Kyiv", then by minibus, which goes straight to the pond. 17 - 19. Upper Kuzminsky Pond, Lower Lublinsky Pond, Shibaevsky Pond How to get there: st. metro stations "Volzhskaya", "Lublino", "Kuzminki", then on foot. The ice holes are located on the shore of Shibaevsky Pond. 20. Big Pond of Vorontsov Park How to get there: st. Vorontsovskie Ponds, no. 3, st. metro station "New Cheryomushki", then by bus to the stop "Vorontsovsky Park". 21. Troparevsky Pond How to get there: st. Academician Vinogradov, ow. 12, Art. metro station "Konkovo", "Teply Stan", then by bus or minibus to the stop "Troparevsky Park". 22. Upper Tsaritsynsky Pond How to get there: Dolskaya st., 1, st. m. "Tsaritsyno", then walk through Tsaritsyno Park. Features: excellent landscape in a park with an old manor. 23. Borisov Ponds How to get there: st. Borisovskie Prudy, 2G, st. metro station "Maryino", "Krasnogvardeyskaya", then by bus to the stop "School". 24. Bitsevsky forest How to get there: from the station. metro station "Yasenevo" or from Southern and Northern Butovo by bus to the stop "Bitsevskaya recreation area", then walk towards the region. The ice hole is located near the dam through which the Bitsa River flows out of the pond. 25, 26. Black Lake, School Lake How to get there: microdistrict. 6 and microdistrict 10.
16.01.2017
The church holiday of Epiphany 2017 will be celebrated on January 19, 2017. On the eve of the holiday, January 18, a strict fast was established. The Feast of the Epiphany is considered one of the most ancient holidays Christian Church. It was established on the occasion of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.
By folk tradition On Epiphany, it is customary to swim in the ice hole/font on the night of January 18-19, 2017. The material on the site will talk about the list of places for swimming on January 18-19 for Epiphany 2017. 60 baths will be located in Moscow.
Fonts in Moscow for Epiphany 2017: the list of places for swimming on January 18-19 (Jordan addresses) is as follows:
Epiphany bathing in Moscow 2017 - list of places (fonts) where you can take a dip at Epiphany on January 18-19 (01/18/19/2017):
| No. | An object | Address | Number of ice holes | Number of fonts |
| SAO | ||||
| 1 | Big Garden Pond | B. Akademicheskaya, st. 47 | 1 | - |
| 2 | Water area of Khimki reservoir |
Coastal passage, 1-7 | 1 | - |
| 3 | Water area of Khimki reservoir |
Leningradskoe highway, 47-49 | 1 | - |
| NEAD | ||||
| 1 | Palace Pond | Between st. Academician Korolev and 1st Ostankino |
1 | - |
| VAO | ||||
| 1 | Lake "Holy" | st. Orangereinaya, 18 | 3 | - |
| 2 | Lake "White" | l. Zaozernaya, 2-6 | 2 | - |
| 3 | Recreation area "Terletskaya oakbrava" Alder Pond |
Svobodny Prospekt, 9 | 2 | - |
| 4 | Red Pond | Izmailovo Forest Park, Main alley |
1 | - |
| 5 | Font "Vernissage" in Izmailovo" |
Izmailovskoe highway, 73Zh | - | 1 |
| 6 | Babaevsky Pond | st. Kurganskaya, 5-9 | 1 | - |
| 7 | Nizhny Maysky Pond | Sokolniki Park | 2 | - |
| SEAD | ||||
| 1 | Upper Kuzminsky Pond | St. Kuzminskaya 10 | 1 | - |
| 2 | Shibaevsky Pond | St. Zarechye vl.14 | 1 | - |
| 3 | Lower Lublin Pond | St. Shkuleva 2 b | 1 | - |
| Southern Administrative District | ||||
| 1 | Tsaritsynsky pond | st. Dolskaya, 1 | 2 | - |
| 2 | Becket Pond | Zagorodnoe highway, 2 | 2 | - |
| 3 | Borisov Ponds | st. Borisovskie Ponds, 2g | 1 | - |
| South-Western Administrative District | ||||
| 1 | Vorontsovsky Pond | st. Ak. Pilyugina, 1 | 1 | - |
| 2 | Pond of the sanatorium “Uzkoe” | st. Profsoyuznaya 123B | 1 | - |
| 3 | Troparevsky Pond | st. Academician Vinogradova 7 | 1 | - |
| 4 | Pond on Nakhimovsky Prospekt | Nakhimovsky prospect, house 8 | 1 | - |
| 5 | Chernevsky Pond (decorative pond No. 1) | st. Yuzhnobutovskaya, 62 | 1 | - |
| 6 | Pond on the Temple grounds | Nikolay Sirotkin St., 28 “a” | 1 | - |
| Company | ||||
| 1 | Meshchersky Pond | st. Voskresenskaya 3a | 1 | - |
| 2 | Moskva river | Pos. Rublevo, st. V. Botyleva, 41 | 1 | - |
| 3 | Moskva river | st. B. Filevskaya, 40 a | 1 | - |
| 4 | Moskva river | Filevsky Blvd., 21 | 1 | - |
| SZAO | ||||
| 1 | Landscape park | st. Baryshikha vl. 4 | 1 | - |
| 2 | Pond in the village Rozhdestveno | Pond in the village Rozhdestveno (behind the Church of the Nativity), Mitino district |
1 | - |
| 3 | Kirov floodplain | st. Isakovsky ow. 2 | 1 | - |
| 4 | Lake Bezdonnoe | st. Tamanskaya, 91 | 1 | - |
| 5 | Moskva river | Karamyshevskaya embankment, 13-15 | 1 | - |
| 6 | PIK "Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo" | Natural-historical park "Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo" pond No. 4 on the Chernushka River |
1 | - |
| 7 | PKiO "Northern Tushino" | st. Svobody 56 |
1 | - |
| 8 | Stroginskaya floodplain, Moscow River | st. Tvardovsky vl. 16 building 3 | 3 | - |
| 9 | Diversion channel (left bank) | st. Boat ow. 19 | 1 | - |
| 10 | Diversion channel (right bank) | st. Malaya Naberezhnaya 3, building 1 | 1 | - |
| 11 | Embankment of the Moscow River (left bank) | st. Zhivopisnaya 50 | 1 | - |
| ZelAO | ||||
| 1 | Lake "School" | 10 microdistrict, Filaretovskaya street, close to the beach area |
1 | - |
| 2 | Lake "Black" | 6 microdistrict, Lesnye Prudy alley at the building 621 A, font on the west side |
1 | - |
| TiNAO | ||||
| 1 | Holy spring and chapel-font in honor of the icon of the Mother of God of Kazan |
Settlement Vnukovskoe village. DSK "Michurinets" st. Arseny Tarkovsky, next to the river. Setun |
- | 1 |
| 2 | Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary | Settlement Voronovskoye village. Pokrovskoe |
1 | - |
| 3 | Trinity Church d/o Voskresenskoe | Settlement Voskresenskoye, village Voskresenskoye, d/o "Voskresenskoye" |
1 | - |
| 4 | Font at the source near the village of Evseevo-Kuvekino |
Settlement Desenovskoe, Evseevo-Kuvekino village |
- | 1 |
| 5 | d. Tovarishchevo, Temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God |
Settlement Klenovskoye, Tovarishchevo village |
- | 1 |
| 6 | Pond on the river Treshnja | Settlement Klenovskoye, Chernetskoe village |
1 | - |
| 7 | Epiphany font | Settlement Krasnopakhorskoe, village. Bylovo, pond near St. Michael the Archangel Church |
1 | - |
| 8 | village Marushkino People's Park "Rucheyok" | Settlement Marushkinskoye, village Marushkino, people's park "Rucheyok" |
1 | - |
| 9 | Bolshoye Svinorye village at the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands |
Settlement Marushkinskoye, Bolshoye Svinorye village, near the Church Savior's Image Not Made by Hands |
1 | - |
| 10 | Church of the New Martyrs of Podolsk in Shishkin Les |
Mikhailovo-Yartsevskoe settlement, Shishkin Les village, 43 |
- | 1 |
| 11 | Temple of St. Sergius of Radonezh | Pos. d/o Pleskovo, on the territory of New Construction LLC |
- | 1 |
| 12 | Moskovsky village, Ulyanovsk forest park village, block 30, LLC "Gloria" |
village Moskovsky, village of Ulyanovsk forest park,block 30, LLC "Gloria"Temple-chapel of the icon of the Mother of God "Unfading Color" |
1 | - |
| 13 | Middle pond of the Trinity Estate cascade | village Mosrentgen, near house No. 39 |
1 | - |
| 14 | village Pervomaivskoe, village Puchkovo, Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God |
Settlement Pervomaiskoe, village Puchkovo |
- | 1 |
| 15 | village Vasyunino, Church of the Holy Trinity |
Trinity Church in the village of Vasyunino | - | 1 |
| 16 | R. "Desna" within the boundaries of the city district Troitsk Recreation area "Zarechye" |
G.o. Troitsk, Recreation area "Zarechye" |
2 | - |
| 17 | G.o. Troitsk, Recreation area "Zarechye" |
Settlement Filimonkovskoe, Knutovo village |
1 | - |
| 18 | Font in the village of Oznobishino | Settlement Shchapovskoe, Oznobishino village, near the Holy Trinity Church |
1 | |
| 19 | Temple complex of the icon of the Mother of God "The Queen of All" and the Holy Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth in Shcherbinka |
Shcherbinka, Zheleznodorozhnaya st., 15 |
- | 1 |
| TOTAL | 60 | 11 | ||
We remind you about the warning from the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Ministry of emergency situations recommends against Epiphany bathing in Jordans that are not included in the official list of equipped fonts. Rescuers and doctors are on duty at the fonts specially prepared for Epiphany 2017, so in an emergency all necessary assistance will be provided. Unauthorized Jordanians are life-threatening. Be careful!
For reference: Epiphany bathing, according to tradition, are held after the evening service on January 18 and on the night of January 18-19. Access to the fonts is usually open on January 19 throughout the day.