Bulgarians celebrate the feast of Epiphany with a ritual plunge into icy rivers
Associated PressSOFIA, Bulgaria — Thousands of Orthodox Christian worshippers in Bulgaria on Monday braved the freezing winter weather to plunge into icy waters as they observed centuries-old Epiphany traditions. Young men plunged into rivers and lakes across the Balkan country, which is primarily Orthodox, to retrieve crucifixes tossed by priests in ceremonies commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ. The peak of the celebrations was the slow “mazhko horo”, or men’s dance, performed by men dressed in traditional white embroidered shirts who waded into the river singing folk songs and waving national flags. While the churches in Greece, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Romania celebrate the feast on Jan. 6, Orthodox Churches in Russia and Serbia follow the Julian calendar, according to which Epiphany is celebrated on Jan. 19, as their Christmas falls on Jan. 7.
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