Kosovans swim out into icy Lake Gazivode in chase for the cross to mark Epiphany

(19 Jan 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lake Gazivode, Kosovo - 19 January 2026
1. Various of swimmers in lake racing to reach crucifix
2. Mid of winner being lifted
3. Close of crucifix
4. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Mateja Kasalovic, Holy Cross winner:
“It’s something... I can’t describe the feeling. This is joy and you can see it from the expression on my face. This is a tradition I inherited from my father, who won twice, and from my brother, who also won the year before last. And now, it’s my turn.”
5. Various of spectators
6. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Jelena Arsic Miljkovic, participant:
“Well, this is my first time doing this. I have two daughters and they are my greatest motivation. So I hope that in the coming years I will continue to come here and encourage other women to dare to swim for the Holy Cross as well — so that it’s not only men who are considered brave. Because I believe women are just as brave, if not braver, than men.”
7. Wide of swimmers
8. Mid of swimmer wrapped in Serbian flag
9. Mid of swimmers singing
10. Tilt down of lake to swimmers
STORYLINE:
A crowd of Orthodox Christians gathered Monday to watch hundreds of swimmers dive into Lake Gazivode in Kosovo as they raced to be the first to clinch a cross in Epiphany celebrations.

To celebrate the Christian holiday, which commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ, swimmers jump into the icy waters and swim 33 meters, representing Jesus' believed lifespan, where a wooden cross floats in the water.

Mateja Kasalovic, a 16-year-old from North Mitrovica, won this year's race.

"I can’t describe the feeling. This is joy and you can see it from the expression on my face," he told The Associated Press after the crowd lifted him and the cross into the air.

Kasalovic's family have a tradition of winning the race, with his father getting his hands on the cross twice, and his elder brother winning two years ago.

"And now, it’s my turn," he said.

The race tends to be dominated by men, but that did not deter swimmer Jelena Arsic Miljkovic from entering this year.

"I have two daughters and they are my greatest motivation. So I hope that in the coming years I will continue to come here and encourage other women to dare to swim for the Holy Cross as well," Miljkovic said.

AP video by Florent Bajrami

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