January 19 at Irkutsk region traditional mass bathing in the hole will take place. On this day, all Orthodox celebrate the feast of the Epiphany (Baptism of the Lord).
Bathing in the hole for Epiphany- an old tradition, according to which a participant in the ceremony will forget about all diseases for a long time.
Unfortunately, in our time, many do not see an important spiritual component in this event; swimming in the frosty baptismal water has become more fashion trend.
Be that as it may, before the winter swim it is necessary learn the basic rules and security measures and carefully prepare for winter swimming.
1) Swimming in the hole requires special preparation - hardening. Otherwise, a person runs the risk of getting hypothermia, which often leads to sad consequences (up to a stroke and even death).
Hardening must begin a few months before the bathing ceremony - take contrast showers, wash your face cold water.
2) It is necessary to take care of the clothes that you will wear after swimming. You also need to prepare comfortable shoes. It is better to choose clothes with a small number of buttons and fasteners. Also, prepare a warm terry towel that absorbs moisture well.
3) Before diving, you need to eat well, but do not overeat. Better eat something nutritious so that the body is refreshed and gain strength. Some experts recommend two hours before the swim rub body with olive oil or some heavy cream.
5) Before immersion in water, you need to warm up to increase blood flow. You can squat for a while, perform simple exercises.
6) Undress before swimming should be gradual, shoes should be removed last. Before bathing, you can rub your hands with cold water, this will help the body get used to the cold.
7) It is better to be in the water while swimming no more than two or three minutes. By the way, you should not wet your head - this can cause arrhythmia.
8) After the completion of the bathing ritual, it is necessary to wipe the body with a large towel, put on dry warm clothes, and also drink hot tea.
9) The last but no less important rule is that you should swim in the hole not for self-affirmation, but only for deep, spiritual motives, because this rite is part of a religious action.
Photo: www.vipnovosti33.ru Employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations remind residents of the region about the dangers, and also warns people suffering from chronic diseases.
Remember that the main cause of accidents when swimming in ice water becomes hypothermia- the body can not compensate for the loss of heat. That is why staying in the hole should not exceed two minutes.
Rescuers also advise those who wish to take part in Epiphany bathing, do not linger on ice after taking the rite of Baptism, comply with the orders of the employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Do you plan to swim in the hole on January 19?
- Yes, I swim every year
- Yes, I plan for the first time
- Haven't decided yet
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Epiphany bathing. In our city, they annually gather more and more people, especially young people. Baptisms await just like new year holidays. Prepare for it in advance, prepare food, drink. It is not uncommon for bathing in an ice-hole to continue with an auto-party. For most of today's youth, bathing at Epiphany has become something between a feat, extreme entertainment, folk tradition. A tradition based not on faith, but on fashion.
There is, of course, a part of the faithful people who take part in this ritual. But after our conversations with them, we concluded that the majority blindly repeats the actions of others, being in full confidence that bathing at Baptism was bequeathed by the Bible. But this is not so.
Epiphany is perhaps the main holiday of the 12 Great Orthodox Christian holidays. It was on this day that Christ was baptized by Jordan waters. Here, in imitation of this event, believers plunge into the hole, believing that they will wash away all sins from themselves. But this is absolutely not true.
The priest explained that Epiphany is a holiday in which folk customs are intertwined with religious beliefs. The clergyman is sure that true believers should spend the whole day in the Temple. Listen to the liturgy, confess, take communion, be cleansed of sins. Only this can save a sinner from a bad end, and not bathing in Baptism at all.
By the way, doctors, rescuers, clergy note with regret: the belief that it is impossible to catch a cold in the Epiphany hole is completely groundless. It is worth looking at the statistics of diseases or to make sure of this. Faith does not save from a cold, because God did not require that bathing in an ice hole at Baptism be mandatory. This is not canonical. It's just a folk tradition.
The custom came to us from Greece. Do you remember the climate in this country? There, from January 18 to 19, there are neither frosts nor frozen reservoirs. Therefore, bathing at Epiphany there does no harm. And in Russia, from ancient times, the Jordan was cut down in the ice.
Why do priests take part in ablutions at Baptism? in their opinion, means communion with the grace that the Lord sent to the “nature” of all the waters. But on the other hand, comments Archpriest Mikhail Dudko, Secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate for Church and Society Relations, since it is very difficult psychologically to plunge headlong into icy water, the act is a sacrifice to God.
I am not going to understand the intricacies of the Holy Scriptures or My goal is to protect all believers and non-believers from the dire consequences that may come after the bathing at Baptism is over.
I offer a few rules, adhering to which people can protect their health.
- Check with your doctor that you do not suffer from diseases incompatible with winter swimming. This will save you from cramps, rheumatism, severe colds, inflammation, and other misfortunes.
- Take care of a properly arranged font. It should be no deeper than 180 cm, with non-slip steps, railings. Nearby there must be a warm locker room, hot tea, dry clothes. And no alcohol.
- Think about clothes. Leotards that expose the body - disrespect for religion. Therefore, many sew long, similar to baptismal shirts. But rubber slippers with non-slip soles are a must-have accessory.
- Enter the hole slowly, carefully. A sharp immersion in ice water can cause convulsions, a heart attack, shock, etc. It is customary to plunge three times with your head. But if you are prone to spasms, it is better not to do this.
- Beware of euphoria! Usually, in response to the stress of ice water, a person falls into ecstasy. It seems to him that he can spend another 5 minutes in the hole. However, this is a direct route to the hospital.
- Be sure to dry, keep warm after swimming. Best of all - in a warm room.
I believe that getting rid of sins, proving one's piety or having extreme fun can be more in safe ways. However, everyone chooses how to act. Therefore, I can simply wish good health to everyone who is going to swim in the hole on the night of January 18-19.
On the night of January 18-19, the Orthodox world celebrates the feast of the Epiphany, or Epiphany. On Epiphany Christmas Eve and on the very day of the Baptism of the Lord in all Orthodox churches, after the Divine Liturgy, the rite of the Great Blessing of Water is performed. According to ancient belief, on this day all water becomes holy and heals any ailments. The consecrated Epiphany water is the greatest shrine. It is kept throughout the year, consumed in a small amount in the morning on an empty stomach, after reading a special prayer. It is believed that by plunging into it, people are freed from sins. Many will dare to swim in Jordan on this day - an ice-hole carved in the shape of a cross. Traditionally, on this day, thousands of believers rush to natural springs to partake of the sacred waters, cleanse themselves of sins and be spiritually transformed.
In order for the holiday not to be overshadowed by an accident on the water, the Main Directorate of the Russian Emergencies Ministry for Samara region encourages swimmers to observe the following rules: Preparation for baptismal bathing:- before swimming in the ice-hole, warm up the body by doing a warm-up, jogging;
- it is necessary to approach the ice hole in comfortable, non-slip and easily removable shoes to prevent loss of sensation in the legs. It is better to use boots or woolen socks in order to reach the hole. It is possible to use special rubber slippers, which also protect your feet from sharp stones and salt, and also prevent you from slipping on ice. On the way to the hole, remember that the path can be slippery, so you should walk slowly;
- make sure that the ladder for descending into the water is stable. At least for safety, it is necessary to lower the edge of a strong thick rope with knots into the water so that people can use it to get out of the water. The opposite end of the rope must be securely fastened to the shore. Not recommended:
- bathing in the font before its consecration by a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church;
- swimming without representatives of the rescue services and medical workers;
- bathing children without the supervision of parents or adults;
- dive into the water directly from the ice;
- pollute and clog the font;
- drink alcohol, swim while intoxicated;
- bring dogs and other animals with you;
- leave paper, glass and other rubbish on the ice, in wardrobes and locker rooms;
- give cries of false alarm;
- drive up to the font by car;
- do not dive head first into the hole, experts advise. Jumping into water and submerging head first is not recommended as it increases temperature loss and can lead to cold shock;
- when entering the water for the first time, try to quickly reach the depth you need, but do not swim, do not stay in the hole for more than 1 minute in order to avoid general hypothermia of the body. In addition, there should not be more than 20 people near the hole on the ice at the same time; It is forbidden to swim in a group in which more than 3 people at the same time. After bathing (dipping), rub yourself with a terry towel and put on dry clothes. Press Service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia for the Samara Region
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It is customary for Russia to plunge into Jordan on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord. This year, despite the sharp temperature drops, will not be an exception. In the Kostroma region, 34 places have been prepared for the holiday, of which 3 are in the city of Kostroma, where you can plunge into the icy Epiphany water.
For those who decide to plunge into Jordan this night, the Ministry of Emergency Situations once again reminds them of how to properly prepare for Epiphany bathing, as well as safety rules. In particular, the fact that Epiphany bathing can only be done in specially equipped places where rescuers and ambulance doctors will be on duty.
In order to avoid accidents, the arrangement of baptismal fonts is carried out by local authorities, and on the days of the holiday, rescuers, GIMS employees, medical workers and police officers will be on duty nearby.
On the festive night from January 18 to 19, 2016, people will be warmed up near the fonts and hot tea will be served. Taking into account past years, about 8 thousand people can take part in Epiphany bathing, of which 4 thousand are in the city of Kostroma. Security will be provided by 260 employees of various departments.
Last year, in places where organized swimming was organized, no accidents and deaths were allowed. The most dangerous thing is visiting the Epiphany font while intoxicated, and bathing under the influence of alcohol can also lead to accidents.
The Ministry of Emergency Situations reminds that bathing is not recommended for certain diseases. For example, in diseases of the cardiovascular or peripheral nervous systems swimming in the hole is generally contraindicated. Also, do not risk those who have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastric ulcer, enterocolitis, cholecystitis, hepatitis) and some other diseases. The main dangers of immersion in ice water are a heart attack due to vasospasm, convulsions, and the rapid development of pneumonia.
Basic rules for bathing in Epiphany fonts
Bathing without representatives of the rescue services and medical workers;
Bathing children without the supervision of parents or adults;
Dive into the water directly from the ice;
Contaminate and clog the font;
Drink alcohol, swim while intoxicated;
Bring dogs and other animals with you;
Leave glass and other debris on the ice;
Give false alarms;
Drive up to the font by car.
In addition, there should not be more than 20 people near the hole on the ice at the same time; swimming in a group of more than 3 people at the same time is prohibited.
How to Prepare for the Epiphany Bath
Specialists of the human safety department at water bodies advise warming up the body before swimming in the hole, doing a warm-up, jogging.
The ice hole must be approached in comfortable, non-slip and easily removable shoes to prevent loss of sensation in the legs. It is better to use boots or woolen socks in order to reach the hole. It is possible to use special rubber slippers, which also protect your feet from sharp stones and salt, and also prevent you from slipping on ice. On the way to the hole, remember that the path can be slippery, so you should walk slowly.
It is best to dive up to the neck without soaking your head in order to avoid reflex constriction of the vessels of the brain.
Never dive headfirst into an ice hole. Jumping into water and submerging head first is not recommended as it increases temperature loss and can lead to cold shock.
When entering the water for the first time, try to quickly reach the depth you need, but do not swim, do not stay in the hole for more than 1 minute in order to avoid general hypothermia of the body.
If you have a child under the age of 9 with you, support him with both hands both when immersed in water and when leaving the font.
After bathing (dipping), rub yourself and the child with a terry towel and put on dry clothes.
To strengthen the immune system and prevent hypothermia, you need to drink hot tea, best of all - from berries, fruits and vegetables.
In the ice-hole, a walrus lies in wait for prostatitis, impotence, infertility, herpes, and sometimes instant death. However, lovers of ice bathing boldly jump into the water after them ...
I once asked a doctor I knew how he felt about winter swimming. I liked his answer very much. If you throw 100 people into the hole now, the doctor says, then 95 will die immediately. Four will be sick for a long time, but will get out. And nothing will happen to one. And this ONE will sit down to write a book about how long he went to this.
Swimming in an ice hole in Russia is an ancient occupation. But lately, the walrus movement has begun to expand and multiply in its composition. And thus made experts think about the benefits and possible harm of pagan action.
There were few arguments in favor of winter swimming. Honestly, just one. The body really gets a hardening effect. Nobody argues with this. But, having calculated how much harm such hardening causes to the organs and systems of the body, the doctors quite rightly decided that we do not need such goodness and nothing. And that's why.
Everyone has long known that even in summer you need to swim carefully. Most often, during bathing, sudden cardiac arrest occurs precisely because of the temperature difference.
Therefore, you can not immediately dive into the reservoir. You need to enter the water slowly so that the skin receptors get used to the change in body temperature gradually. If you plunge into the water instantly, there may be a spasm of the vessels of the whole body, muscles, skin, subcutaneous tissue. Because of this, blood circulation increases, and the heart simply can not cope with this flow. And then trouble happens in the form of an angina pectoris attack, a heart attack, a stroke, and someone may have a cardiac arrest.
In such cases, it can be very difficult to start the heart again. Any paramedic will confirm this for you. But when swimming in the summer we are talking about the difference in temperature of just a couple of degrees, and positive ones. What can we say about swimming in ice water, and even in frost? Moreover, if you consider that the cold does not have a long wait until the body gets used to the water, but drives you to quickly plunge and instantly get out of the water. The burden on the body is overwhelming. And stress is the strongest. By the way, one more known fact- being in water at a temperature of plus 12 degrees for 5 minutes leads to hypothermia of the body with a fatal outcome.
Cardiovascular catastrophe is not the only danger that lies in wait for the new walruses. And the worst thing happens to male walruses. Due to the stress that the body experiences, the number of spermatozoa decreases in men. This has already been proven. The American doctor Moskowitz once reported this, and Russian scientists also confirmed this. Moreover, domestic andrologists believe that stress should generally be put in first place among the causes of infertility.
The fact is that during stress, the body produces glucocorticoid hormones, as well as adrenaline and norepinephrine. They inhibit spermatogenesis. No wonder they say that animals do not breed in captivity. And why? Yes, because bondage for them is a constant stress. And for reproduction, favorable, comfortable conditions are needed. Finding them in an ice hole is the greatest absurdity.
The next argument against winter swimming also applies to men, and urologists have already expressed it. The male prostate is a very delicate, fragile organ, and therefore brittle. And it can break from any sneeze. Especially the prostate is afraid of hypothermia. An inflammatory disease that can be obtained against the background of hypothermia is a prelude to impotence. I think even schoolchildren know about this now. Among diseases, chronic prostatitis is considered the most harmful for conception! Or rather, not even the disease itself, but its consequences. Chronic prostatitis in the hole can be easily obtained.
The same trouble with reproductive organs also occur in female walruses: inflammatory diseases of the ovaries or appendages, obstruction of the tubes. And in prospects - long-term treatment with an unpredictable outcome. True, women in this sense were a little more fortunate than men. Their bodies are stronger, and they are cured more successfully.
With ARVI, winter divers are also not doing well - contrary to popular belief. Walruses fall ill with colds approximately 2-3 times during the year. It's not much, scientists say. However, it was found that colds in walruses, unlike ordinary mortal citizens, last much longer. Moreover, many of them have long-term residual effects after a viral infection, such as weakness, fatigue. Moreover, women get SARS more often and more severely than men.
Many scientists noted: yes, the incidence of walruses is low, but they are thoroughly tormented by bacterial infections. Moreover, such diseases are not typical, that is, they do not correspond to the classical symptoms. And after an illness, walruses have a greater number of complications than ordinary citizens. By the way, people who have been living in a cold climate for a long time, as well as the indigenous peoples of the North, get sick according to the same scheme.
The more experience walruses have, the more trouble falls on their heads. For example, people who have been winter swimming for more than 5 years are much more likely to get herpes. They take much longer than ordinary people to heal wounds and cuts. And beginners often have pustular skin diseases.
This raises a quite reasonable question: well, was all this such torment worth it? Moreover, the same result - less colds - can be obtained by such a harmless and very pleasant method of hardening as a "comfortable bath". You sit in a hot bath, pick up a book and read or listen to music until the water gets cold. Then you get out of the already cool water and rub yourself with a terry towel until your skin turns pink. That's the whole hardening procedure. And you can also temper it with a contrasting pouring of your legs. First, pour warm water from the shower onto your feet, then cool. And so repeat the procedure several times. It will take even less time. And the effect is the same. But only without extreme, herpes, chronic prostatitis, infertility and impotence.