Every year in the depths of winter, thousands of Russian Orthodox believers prepare to wash away their sins in Russia’s icy cold rivers and lakes. According to the Russian Orthodox Church January 19 marks the day of epiphany and it is only on this day that believer’s souls can be cleansed of their sins by a special baptism. Traditionally a prorub (a special cross-shaped hole) is carved into the ice, the water under it is blessed by a priest and the faithful then strip down and dunk themselves under the freezing water three times. What’s more an old Russian saying goes that after the kryeshcheniye (epithany), comes the great kryeshensky moroz or the big freeze. You have been warned! The most central gathering of these religious ice-swimmers or morzh (walrus) takes place in the Neva river near the east side of the Neva curtain wall of the Peter and Paul Fortress. Look out for their walrus sign to find your way to the hole.

19/01 Russian Orthodox Epithany Day comments

• 18
  Jan
  2010
  Editor St. Petersburg In Your Pocket - Russia, St. Petersburg
  Update: The icy baptism in the Neva river will take place this year in front of the twelve colleges building on the universitatskaya naberezhnaya.The procession from the university church will start at 12:30 lunchtime. The congregation will be led to the water by Archpriest Kirill Kopeikin and priest Maxim Fioninym, the water will then be blessed and finally the baptism will take place.
• 17
  Jan
  2010
  evelyn fiddimore - england
  I have been told that this event no longer takes place in the Neva.As I will be in St Petersburg on 19th jan I would like to know if this event still takes place there.