In Serbia's Orthodox Christian community, the feast of the Epiphany is marked by the traditional "swim for the Holy Cross." This year, 100 competitors took part in the race in the Vlasina River in southern Serbia, where the water temperature was just one degree Celsius.
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00:00Ivan Stefanović's daily life revolves around caring for bees and running his small farm
00:06in the mountain village of Donja Gara in the far southeast of Serbia.
00:11This winter, he decided to do something he has never done before, to take part in the
00:16annual swim for the Holy Cross on the Orthodox Feast of the Epiphany.
00:30The swim symbolizes the baptism of Christ in the River Jordan.
00:50While the exact origin of the tradition is unknown, some records suggest it has been practiced
00:55in Serbia for over a century.
01:16This year, over 100 competitors signed up for the race in Vlasutinsa. But before they
01:22could take the plunge, they had to get a medical check-up. The water in the Vlasutinsa River
01:26was abrasing 1 degree Celsius.
01:33The Holy Cross is placed in the middle of the river. Competitors must swim from one
01:54bank to the other. The winner is the one who reaches the cross first. This year, the winner
02:00was physical education teacher and athlete Stefan Djokic.
02:17Ivan didn't reach the cross first, but he did make it to the other river bank, fulfilling
02:22a lifelong ambition to take part in the race. The adrenaline rush was great, but the cold
02:28was greater.
02:39Next year, he says, he'll think very carefully about whether or not to brave the icy waters
02:44of the swim for the Holy Cross again.