january 6 Epiphany: traditions, history of the holiday and prohibitions
6 January 05:30
On January 6, according to the New Julian and Gregorian calendars, the Epiphany, or Baptism of the Lord, falls.
The feast commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ as an adult by the prophet John the Baptist and is considered one of the five key events in the earthly life of Jesus Christ. "Komersant Ukrainian" tells about the history and rituals of the holiday.
When to celebrate
According to the new church calendar, Orthodox believers and Greek Catholics celebrate Epiphany on January 6. In 2026, Epiphany falls on a Tuesday.
In the Roman Catholic tradition, the Epiphany has its own date – it is celebrated every year on the Sunday following Epiphany.
In the Ukrainian calendar, the feast is revered; in the carol “Good Evening to You” it is called the “third feast.”
People believed in the healing power of water, which manifests itself at midnight, as soon as Epiphany comes. They would collect this water and put it near their icons because they believed that it would help them from diseases. It was forbidden to wash in the river for one or two weeks, because during this time the water supposedly remained holy.
The history of the celebration of Epiphany
According to the Bible, Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River at the age of 30.
His baptizer was the prophet John, who foretold the coming of the Savior in earthly form to the Earth. As soon as Jesus’ baptism was completed, the voice of God the Father was heard declaring that Jesus was his son, and the Holy Spirit appeared over Jesus in the form of a dove.
This cornerstone event for Christianity is called Theophany because of the demonstration of all three Christian hypostases of God.
The holiday originated in the Coptic Church of the early Christians in the second century AD. It initially honored both the birth of Jesus Christ and the arrival of the Three Kings and the baptism of Jesus.
As early as the fourth century, Christmas in Jerusalem began to be celebrated separately from baptism.
Ukrainian traditions on Epiphany
A week before the feast, the parishioners would carve an ice cross on a pond to form an ice hole. The cross itself was placed over it, and in some places it was poured with beet kvass to color it.
A “throne” was placed next to the cross, and pine branches were used to make a “royal gate.”
In the morning, the church community would go to that place with the priest for the service, and the priest would bless the water, which was considered healing, put near the icons at home and kept it for a whole year, and drink it only when they were unwell.
After people came home from the water, the host would sprinkle a bunch of herbs and holy water all over the house, and then make crosses with chalk or liquid dough on the icons, doorposts, and the place where the dishes were stored. Before dinner, they would drink the holy water.
What you need to know about bathing in an ice-hole
A one-time bath in an ice hole is unlikely to improve your health; on the contrary, bathing in ice water without preparation can cause health problems. At the same time, cold water generally has a good effect on the body, provided that you harden yourself properly and gradually.
A prerequisite before diving into the water is a vigorous warm-up. Don’t jump into the water right away: first wet your face, chest, stomach, and back, and only then dive in up to your neck. Do not dive headfirst, as this can lead to a sharp cooling of the body.
The safe time to stay in ice water is 3-5 seconds. For people who have been practicing water hardening for years, it is not recommended to stay in the hole for more than 1.5 to 2 minutes.
After bathing, immediately remove wet clothes, quickly dry yourself with a towel, and put on warm clothes. The clothes should be loose-fitting, with a minimum number of buttons and fasteners, and the shoes should be comfortable and preferably without laces. If your fingers are numb, hold them on your neck or stomach for a few seconds, warm them with your breath, and continue dressing.
Please note that “warming up” before or after swimming in an ice hole with alcohol is extremely dangerous! Alcohol dilates peripheral blood vessels, which significantly increases heat transfer. That is, despite the ethereal feeling of warmth that alcohol gives you, you will lose heat much faster, and this is a great risk to your health.
Also, do not smoke before or after swimming if you have this habit. Smoking significantly disrupts blood circulation, increasing cooling. Smoking just one cigarette reduces the temperature of the skin of your toes by 1°C.
Dive into an ice hole only if you are completely healthy!
Under no circumstances should you dive into an ice hole if you have
– inflammatory processes of the nasopharynx and paranasal sinuses, middle ear (otitis media);
– diseases of the cardiovascular system (congenital and acquired heart defects, coronary heart disease with angina attacks, myocardial infarction, severe coronary sclerosis, hypertension of the II and III stages)
– diseases of the central nervous system (epilepsy, consequences of severe skull injuries, severe sclerosis of cerebral vessels, encephalitis, arachnoiditis)
– diseases of the peripheral nervous system (neuritis and polyneuritis);
– diseases of the endocrine system (diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis);
– diseases of the visual organs (glaucoma, conjunctivitis);
– respiratory diseases (pulmonary tuberculosis – active and in the stage of complications, pneumonia, bronchial asthma, emphysema);
– diseases of the genitourinary system (nephritis, cystitis, adnexitis, prostatitis);
– diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastric ulcer, enterocolitis, cholecystitis, hepatitis);
– skin and venereal diseases;
– large burn scars.
The Ministry of Health advises to consult with your family doctor or therapist on how to dive into an ice hole without harming your health.
Folk signs
Our ancestors believed that the weather on this day would determine the whole next year, so:
1. If the weather is clear but frosty on this day, the summer will be hot and dry.
2. Snowfall promises a bountiful harvest for the whole year.
3. A snowstorm on Epiphany means a blizzard in April.
4. If you see frost on a tree and clouds in the sky, it means a fertile year.
5. A warm day promises a lot of bread.
6. If the day was sunny and warm, the weather would last for several more weeks.
In addition, according to the beliefs of our ancestors, on this day you can’t do laundry, conduct any divination, or cry. Thus, people believed that those who shed tears on this holiday would cry the next year. It is also forbidden to do physical labor on this day. It is also said that it is better not to quarrel or swear on Epiphany.
Prohibitions on the holiday
As with any other church holiday, you should not quarrel with your loved ones, swear, envy, or wish evil on other people on this day. In addition, one should not “offend” the water in any way, such as spitting in it, throwing garbage, pouring out waste, etc. The Church also strongly opposes fortune-telling or other magical rituals.
What not to do:
- As with any other church holiday, you should not quarrel with your loved ones, swear, envy, or wish evil on other people on this day.
- The church forbids divination and magical rituals.
- You should not spit, throw garbage, or pour waste into the ice-hole with consecrated water. You should not swear near such water, otherwise it may lose its holy properties.
- You should not swim on Epiphany if you have symptoms of acute respiratory infections, lung and heart problems, cramps, and any health problems in general.
- It is strictly forbidden to dive into an ice-hole under the “degree”. It is very dangerous!
- It is strictly forbidden to dive in wild and unequipped places on this day! Every year several people die in this way. You should swim only in official ice-holes and in the presence of rescuers.
