Baptism

It is tradition across Ukraine and Russia on the Christian holiday of the Epiphany - which celebrates the baptism of Jesus - to gather with friends at icy rivers and willingly walk in. 

The church says there is no religious reason but I suspect that’s because the priests weren’t invited. Because every man makes the sign of the cross or exhales ‘Jesus’ just before going under and that moment of cold clarity where the mind is blank and the body sings dear God! is knowing existence. 

And this year the people go not to wash away sins but to be free of war and politics. To feel the pain of being alive and the relief of freedom.