Begin on Epiphany, with the cross in the cold water
The most spectacular of the two days comes first. On 6 January, Boboteaza, priests across Bucharest lead processions to water — a river, a lake, the sea where it is close — and throw a cross in for young men to swim after. It is deep winter, frequently well below zero, with snow across much of the country, and that is precisely the point: you stand among the crowd, breath visible, watching the plunge. Horses are blessed as part of the same observance, and in some villages they are raced afterwards. If you want the fuller, more theatrical half of this festive pair, build your trip around 6 January and treat the 7th as its quieter, more sociable sibling.
Attend the Synaxis itself, on 7 January 2027
The Synaxis of St. John the Baptist — Soborul Sfântului Ioan Botezătorul — falls on Thursday, 7 January 2027, a fixed annual date and a national public holiday in Romania. It sits the day after Epiphany: in the Orthodox calendar, Epiphany commemorates Christ's baptism rather than the arrival of the Magi, and this day honours John the Baptist, who performed that baptism. Liturgy is served in every parish, so wherever you are staying in the city, there is a church within reach holding a morning service. Walk in, stand with the congregation, and let the day's rhythm set yours.
Accept a name day invitation — it is the real event
7 January is the name day for every Romanian named Ion, Ioan, Ioana and their variants — among the most common names in the country — which makes it far more widely observed than a single feast day would suggest. Name days here are often more social than birthdays, marked by open houses and unannounced visitors; hosts are expected to provide food and drink. If you are invited, bring flowers or wine. If you are travelling with a friend or contact who carries one of those names, this is the day you will be fed, toasted and kept at the table far longer than you planned.
Plan around a city on holiday hours
6 and 7 January are both public holidays, closing a festive stretch that runs continuously from Orthodox Christmas on 25 December. Expect museums and many restaurants to keep reduced hours across 25 December–7 January, so check opening times before you build a day around any single institution. In rural areas, carolling from the Christmas cycle may still be going on — worth a day trip out of the city if you want the older, sung version of the season. And pack for real cold: early January in Romania is very cold and frequently well below zero, which is also what makes the Carpathian resorts favourable at this time of year if you want to add snow to the itinerary.
Weave the two days into one winter trip
Because 6 and 7 January sit back to back as public holidays, you can give the water blessing its full day and still have the Synaxis morning free for parish liturgy and an afternoon of name-day visits. Bucharest in the first week of January is a city in the last movement of its long Christmas season — the streets still dressed, the tables still set, the churches full. Start with the calendar: 7 January 2027 is a Thursday, and the years around it shift — Wednesday in 2026, Friday in 2028 — so fix the dates early, book your accommodation before the holiday period fills, and let the two days do the rest.