Russian President Observes Epiphany by Immersing in Ice Hole
President of Russia Vladimir Putin immersed himself in an ice hole to mark the Orthodox Feast of Epiphany. Epiphany bathing traditions in Russia begin on the night of January 19.
"Epiphany is a major holiday for him, just as it is for all Orthodox Christians working in the Kremlin. There are those who do not observe this tradition, but it remains a sacrament and a personal matter,” said Dmitry Peskov, the president's press secretary.
A Longstanding Personal Tradition
For the 73-year-old Putin, plunging into an ice hole is by no means a way to demonstrate youthful bravado. It is a tribute to a cultural and, in a certain sense, Christian tradition. The president, as is well known, is a religious man. Moreover, he is in excellent physical condition and can afford, without risk to his health, to observe customs that are extreme for most ordinary people.
The Kremlin first publicly reported that the Russian leader had taken part in Epiphany ice bathing in 2018. At the time, Putin was on a working trip to Saint Petersburg. During a visit to the Nilo-Stolobenskaya Hermitage, a men's monastery, he participated in Epiphany bathing in Lake Seliger. Dmitry Peskov said then that this was not Putin's first experience of Epiphany immersion. According to him, the president had done the same in several previous years, but "in a more discreet setting.”
After that episode, the president's plans for January 19 began to attract intense public interest. This was further fueled by striking footage released by the Kremlin press service in 2021, showing the Russian president walking toward the ice hole wearing a sheepskin coat and felt boots, and then, after making the sign of the cross, immersing himself in the icy water.
According to official information, in subsequent years Putin immersed himself in the Epiphany ice hole in the Moscow region. He skipped the ritual only in 2020 and 2022. In the first case, the coronavirus pandemic was at its peak. In the second, Putin heeded the recommendations of doctors and clergy, who advised that decisions about participating in Epiphany bathing should take epidemiological conditions into account.
About the ritual
The tradition of immersion in the Epiphany ice hole, known as the "Jordan,” symbolizes the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan. In 2007, during a visit to Jordan, the Russian president washed his hands in the waters of the river and visited the site where John the Baptist met the Savior. During his next visit to Jordan in 2012, Putin took part in the opening ceremony of the Russian Pilgrims' House near the site of Jesus Christ's baptism.
