Each year on Jan. 19, when Orthodox Christians celebrate the Epiphany, thousands gather on both banks of the Dnipro River in Kyiv. On this holy day, believers say the river spiritually turns into Palestinian Jordan on the day when God appeared in three persons. That’s why Ukrainians bravely dive into cold Dnipro waters, seeking health and happiness.
But Heorhiy Kovalenko, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, says that swimming in cold, open water is more of a folk than church tradition. “For a Christian, the main thing should be praying in church, not plunging into a hole of the icy river water,” Kovalenko said.
It is believed that the water on the day of Epiphany has special qualities and can cure diseases.
Otto Stoyko, chief physician of the Kyiv City Health Center, warned that there is a threat of further health deterioration in winter swimming. “I would recommend people who have hypertension, some chronic diseases or flu to avoid winter swimming,” he said.
Roman Tymovchak, 68, president of the Kyiv Federation of Winter Swimming, has been practicing ice swimming for 40 years. He believes ice swimmers are healthier than ordinary people. Tymovchak recommends staying in the cold water for not longer than 15 seconds. Doing a short warm-up before diving and drinking hot tea afterwards are also vital parts of this ritual.
According to ethnographer Oleksiy Dolya, one of the most interesting water rituals that Ukrainians practice on Epiphany is cutting ice crosses and installing them near the river bank. The river water sanctification ceremony used to be quite interesting centuries ago, according to Dolya. During the ceremony, Ukrainians used to fire gunshots in the air, which symbolized the voice of God the Father, and to release doves into the sky to represent God the Holy Spirit.
Nowadays after the service, people take water from the river to sanctify their homes. Females wash their faces with it to enhance beauty.
“We call the Epiphany’s evening meal a ‘hungry kutya’ (cereals and poppy seeds) because one, according to the tradition, cannot eat anything during the day of Jan. 18 until dinner,” said Iryna Rakush, a confectioner from Kyiv. “I cook 12 dishes for this dinner. It is believed that the sooner one finishes their dinner the sooner they will get rid of problems the following year.”
After the dinner is over, dishes and cutlery are left on the table for dead relatives to come to eat.
After the dinner families often visit their neighbors to sing shchedrivkas – traditional songs honoring family members and wishing them good fortune. The most famous Ukrainian shchedrivka is called “Shchedryk” and is widely known as the Carol of Bells.
For young and single women, the night of Jan. 18 is a night for fortune-telling. They often try to predict who their future husbands will be.
“When I was 14, I took my mother’s pan, put it under my bed for the whole night before Epiphany and spoke the following words: ‘My betrothed, dressed-up, come to your mother-in-law for pancakes,’” said marketing specialist Iryna Bondarchuk.
That night her mother had a dream featuring soldiers. “And 11 years later I got married to a military man,” added Bondarchuk.
The Epiphany also marks the end of the Christmas holidays. “Late in the evening we take our Didukh (a sheaf of different grains, the symbol of the Christmas season) and burn it outside in the yard to signify the end of the holidays,“ Rakush said.
Kyiv Post staff writer can be reached at [email protected].
