It was a cold January day, the sun was just shyly peeking out from behind grayish clouds, but that didn't stop people from gathering at the city pool. The traditional Epiphany swim for the Holy Cross every year attracted a large number of visitors, but this year it was especially important to me - someone close to me decided to participate in this holy competition.
I arrived a little early in order to get a good seat in the stands. The pool was decorated with appropriate Orthodox symbols - crosses, candles and icons were everywhere around the pool, and everything was in the spirit of the holiday. Soft church music was heard from the public address system, which created a calming but festive atmosphere. A small improvised stage was set up in front of the pool where the priests held a prayer and consecrated the water before the start of the race.
The contestants stood to the side, dressed only in swimming trunks, draped with towels over their shoulders. They seemed calm, but excitement and slight nervousness could be seen on their faces. In the background, the audience could be heard slowly arriving - parents with children, elderly people with icons, young people with banners with motivational messages such as "For faith and tradition!" and "We are all winners!".
The glistening surface of the pool looked cool, but not nearly as cold as the river, which the contestants commented as a "mitigating circumstance". People in the stands were dressed in thick jackets, scarves and hats, while the participants stood half-naked, seemingly immune to the bone-chilling cold. Maybe the adrenaline took its toll.
Before the race started, a priest gave a blessing and the competitors listened to a prayer in silence. At the end, the consecrated cross was carefully lowered into the water, marking the symbolic start of the race. At that moment, the audience exploded with excitement – people were shouting the names of the participants, clapping and cheering. And I cheered at the top of my voice, cheering on the person I'm here for.
When the judge gave the signal, the contestants dove into the water in near-perfect synchronization, splashing all around. The person I was cheering on was in the third lane and immediately went strong. It was obvious that she had been training - her hands cut the water in rhythmic swings, and her strokes were full of power. The audience jumped to their feet, cheered their favorites, while children stood by the fence, shouting and waving flags.
At first it looked like he had a chance at first place. She was in third place, but managed to pass one competitor already in the second round. However, the leading swimmer was a shade faster. The crowd cheered louder and louder as the race drew to a close. She fought like a lion - you could see that she was doing her best, but in the last few meters she ran out of strength. In the end, she finished in second place.
When the race was over, everyone stood up and gave a thunderous applause. It didn't matter who won - the atmosphere was full of pride and celebration. The priest came out to present the Holy Cross to the winner, and each of the participants received a consecrated icon as a gift. She came out of the water, a little disappointed that she wasn't the first, but the smile soon returned to the warmth of her face as people from all sides hugged her and congratulated her.
I walked through the crowd, shouting, "You were fantastic! Second place, huh? Next year's first, I guarantee!” She just laughed, still panting, and rubbed her hair with a towel.
"Well, this is all for the people, it doesn't matter who's first," she said. "The important thing is that I swam for Holy Cross."
After the award ceremony, the audience slowly dispersed, but smiles remained on the faces of all present. As we left the hall, she wore the icon under her arm, and I listed all the moments in which she looked like a champion. The atmosphere was warm despite the cold weather, and as we went for tea to warm up, I was filled with pride to know someone like her – someone who has the courage and faith to take on something like this.