In January 2022, a tragic accident during a religious ceremony shocked Russia and reignited debate about safety during traditional winter rituals.
Anna Uskova, a 40-year-old lawyer from Russia’s St. Petersburg region, was taking part in the Orthodox Epiphany ritual at the Oredezh River. The annual ceremony, observed by thousands of believers, involves immersing oneself in icy water through a cross-shaped opening cut into the frozen river as an expression of faith and purification.
Shortly after Anna stepped into the water, she was suddenly pulled under by a powerful current flowing beneath the ice. Witnesses said the incident unfolded in seconds. Her husband attempted to reach her, but the current was too strong. Her children stood on the riverbank, helpless, as she disappeared beneath the surface.
Anna never resurfaced.
Emergency responders launched an extensive search operation that continued for several days. Despite the efforts, her body was never recovered. Authorities later confirmed that the river’s strong under-ice current, combined with freezing temperatures and poor visibility, made survival highly unlikely.
The incident sent shockwaves across the country — not because the ritual itself was unusual, but because it was familiar and widely practiced. Many families had taken part in similar ceremonies for years without incident, which made the tragedy especially unsettling.
Officials and safety experts later urged the public to exercise extreme caution during winter water rituals, stressing that faith does not eliminate natural dangers. Rivers, unlike controlled baptism pools, can conceal strong currents and unstable ice even in places used regularly.
Anna Uskova’s death remains a painful reminder that tradition and belief cannot override the power of nature — and that a single moment can change a family forever.