Extreme swimming happened!

On January 19, the Day of Epiphany, the residents of Yakutsk swam in the ice-cold water of the Lena River when outside temperature was almost down to minus 53 degrees Celsius.

Despite of outrageous frost, swimming in the icy water of the Lena River took place. That wasn't the crazy idea of young people who crave for extreme activity. That was the decision of the Yakutian Eparchy to revive the old ritual that was ceased in 1917. On the Day of Epiphany, local believers used to have lustration in waters blessed by an Orthodox priest. Traditionally, the action took place in cruciform ice-hole made on the surface of the Lena River . People swam in any weather condition. They believed that they would deserve the forgiveness of sins by diving in sanctified waters three times.

Today's affusion was conducted in the way as it was before the Revolution. The day before, ice-hole was made in the form of cross, a wood cross was installed on the edge of ice surface and Yakutsk and Lensk diocesan Zosima did the ceremony of sanctifying waters. In the next day, action started. People arrived, did obligatory diving three times, got their blessing and found themselves in elevated mood. However, that's all what can remind the pro-revolutionary ritual. Other staff was different.

This time ice-hole was made inside a huge tent with strong heating system. Without fur coat and other outer clothes, people could feel as good as they seemed to forget outside outrageous frost. In the daytime, it was minus 53 degrees Celsius outside. But inside it was enough warm not to shiver. Thanks to heating, water temperature was about minus 4 degrees. People say that swimming in blessed water was like swimming in early summer. Moreover, they assert that reigned spiritual atmosphere did help them to endure extreme conditions. Was it so or not? That's all about belief!

The event was initiated by the Orthodox Church, but arranged and implemented by Emergency Control Ministry. Latter provided security. There were ambulance men in case of emergency. They said to people who wanted to swim: ‘If you have weak health, please, refrain from swimming.' But many Church goers, more than hundred, arrived to go through affusion. Even elders, kids, and women. All of them strived for taking part in the revived ceremony.

Text: Bolot V. Bochkarev.
Photography: Vladimir N. Fedorov, GazetaYakutia.Ru