Students Take an Icy Plunge in Moscow

On January 18 at VDNKH, the winter weather failed to stop people from coming out to celebrate the Epiphany with a plunge into icy waters. While traditionally considered a religious event to celebrate the baptism of Jesus, nowadays it has become a famous tradition when people all over Russia go out and immerse themselves in icy waters. 

This year was the third time that the ESN (Erasmus Student Network) at HSE Moscow offered international students the opportunity to take part in the festivities. With instructions to dress up properly and have towels and flip-flops on hand, students were reassured that there would be medical specialists onsite along with a tent to change and enjoy a hot cup of tea after dipping.

Lorenzo Tosi, a student in the Faculty of Philology from Italy (on a one-year exchange programme from the University of Bologna’s Translation and Interpreting Studies programme), shared his experience afterwards.

‘I did it because I wanted to experience the atmosphere of this traditional event, as I like to get in touch as much as possible with local culture’, he said. ‘I didn't expect so many people! It was well organized, I felt really cold standing in the queue, but after submerging my head three times in freezing water standing nearly naked outside was much easier. After the swim the first thing I did was quickly get dressed, which was not so easy in the cold and with so many people in the dressing tent. I then got a cup of warm tea. I started feeling my feet again after half a day, I think, but I would definitely like to do it again’.

Muchammad Isa, a student in the Political Analysis and Public Policy Master’s programme from Indonesia, finally got to take part in the event after missing it last year.

‘When my friend Ekaterina and her organization (ESN) invited me on Facebook to join this event, I immediately accepted’, he said. ‘I was always interested in why Russians swim in ice-cold freezing water in this event. Is it only for religious and spiritual reasons connected with the Orthodox Epiphany? Or is it because they want to test their physical condition? Or is it only for fun? For me the only way to know and satisfy my curiosity was to try it myself.

‘It is an amazing and unique tradition that I had to do while in Moscow – a once in a lifetime opportunity. To do it together with my friends, my fellow Indonesian students, and friends from other countries alongside thousands of Russian was an unforgettable experience that completed my adventurous time here in Russia’, Muchammad said.

Asked if he would do it again, he said it would depend on whether it was held in the same place (Ostankino Lake) or somewhere else. ‘If it is in another interesting place, for example in Lake Baikal or in the middle of Siberia, I want to try it again’, he said.

After participating in the ritual and taking photos with his friends, Muchammad enjoyed the hot tea served by Moscow police officers. ‘It was the best hot tea ever in my life!’ he exclaimed. Following the event, Muchammad went to the church across the street for the prayer and to take holy water provided by the church.

‘We bought a 5-litre jug and filled it with the holy water to take home’, he said. ‘I also drank some of it at the church. It is interesting for me because in my religion, Islam, we also have holy water called Zamzam water from the holy city of Mecca. So it is actually similar tradition’.

Finally, Samuel Dab a student in Political Sciences from Belgium, said he decided to join a number of his friends and other exchange students who were taking part.

‘I thought that it would be a funny even if a little bit crazy thing to try, because I could only ever try it here in Russia and with so many friends’, he said. ‘We had to wait in line for at least half an hour before being able to swim, which helped increase the excitement and fear that we all had a little. The moment when I did it, it was a bit crazy, and it still hard to believe that I did it. I am really glad I did it with all the other students, because I think that otherwise I might not have done it. I think that if the opportunity would come again I might go for it again!’
Prepared by Anna Chernyakhovskaya for HSE News Service

 

January 24, 2017