Photo: The Consecration of Water on the Theophany by Boris Kustodiev
Almost 2.5 million Orthodox believers participated in Epiphany celebrations, RIA Novosti informs. About 9500 different events took place in honor of one of the main oldest Christian holidays along with Easter.
Orthodox believers did the ritual ablutions traditionally. Russian President also took part in Epiphany bathing in Moscow region.
Epiphany bathing commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by St. John the Baptist. Church tradition also called this holiday the Theophany. According to the Gospel, the visitation of all three faces of God happened after Jesus Christ got into the water.
The ritual dunks in the ice-hole water is one of the Epiphany’s traditions. It is believed that bathing in icy water washes sins away and protects from illnesses. This is a folk tradition that Church does not consider as mandatory.
It should be reminded that dozens of equipped bathing areas were open in Moscow. Doctors, police and rescue teams will be on duty on the days of bathings.
Epiphany fonts were equipped in most of Russian cities and many rural areas, including Yakutia, which is considered the coldest region of the planet.
Russkiy Mir
