In Karelia, authorities banned Epiphany bathing due to lack of funds

The head of the administration of the city of Lakhdenpokhya in the Republic of Karelia, Andrei Matveev, said that local residents will be prohibited from swimming in the ice hole on Epiphany. According to the official, the city authorities should not organize a Christian holiday at their own expense, writes Respublika magazine.

According to Matveev, baptism is not a “social holiday”, and the church should conduct Christian events independently. The official also emphasized that representatives of the church had never turned to local authorities for help in organizing Epiphany bathing.

“Epiphany bathing is not a social holiday. Why should I organize it? If the church wants it, let it do it. If you need help, we will help you in any way we can,” said the head of the Lakhdenpokhya administration.

In his statement, Matveev, in particular, mentioned that every year officials conducted swimming at their own expense, and they were not obliged to take responsibility for the participants in the event.

In addition, the head of the Lakhdenpokhya administration clarified that on January 18 and 19, a private ice-hole will operate in the city, where employees of the mayor’s office and the Ministry of Emergency Situations will be on night duty. Rescue services, according to Matveev, will “drive away Orthodox residents in order to avoid accidents.”

Earlier it was reported that in Moscow 60 swimming pools had been prepared for swimming, around which more than one and a half thousand police officers, rescuers and doctors would be on duty.

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