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.
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