Authors

Tricia Starks¹;  ¹ University of Arkansas, United States

Discussion

Every celebration of the Epiphany in Russia in recent memory has been punctuated by the promotional pictures of Vladimir Putin taking the cold water plunge. Dipping below the water three times, in celebration/imitation of Christ's baptism, is a celebration of not just Orthodox values but also a deeply symbolic action for Russian Orthodox ethno-nationalism and masculinity. Using demographic research, public health history, masculinity theories, and religious studies this paper will explore the imagery and meaning of Putin's public bathing displays as a culmination of a century long crisis of Russian masculinity with deep ties to Putin's popularity and a source of his legitimacy.