Russians Dive Into Icy Water For Epiphany – Photos

IN Russia, thousands of Orthodox Church followers plunge into icy rivers and ponds across the country to mark Epiphany, the baptism of Jesus. These Russians cleanse themselves with water deemed holy for the day. Jesus was baptised in the Middle East’s waters. These Russians are a tougher lot. They like it cold enough to banish any unholy thoughts:

A Russian Orthodox believer crosses herself while emerging from the ice water of a river to mark the eve of Russian Orthodox Epiphany in the village of Fedorovskoye, some 100 km (63 miles) southeast of Moscow, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014. Thousands of Russian Orthodox Church followers will plunge into icy rivers and ponds across the country to mark Epiphany, cleansing themselves with water deemed holy for the day. (AP Photo/Vladimir Khodakov)

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A Russian man emerges from the icy water on the Moscow river to mark the Epiphany in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014. The temperature in Moscow is -17C (1.4 F).

A woman crosses herself as she plunges in the ice cold water in a small ice pool to mark Epiphany in the center of Moscow, next to Red Square, Russia, late Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014.

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A Russian Orthodox believer swims in the icy water in a hole in the form of Orthodox Cross on Epiphany at a pond in Tyarlevo village outside St. Petersburg, Russia, early Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014. The temperature in St. Petersburg is minus 16 Cellius (3.2 Fahrenheit).

A Russian man emerges from the icy water in a pond to mark the Epiphany, as a lifeguard gets ready to help him, in Moscow, Russia, early Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014.

A man crosses himself in the ice cold water, as another waits his turn to plunge in a small ice pool to mark Epiphany in the center of Moscow, next to Red Square, Russia, late Saturday, Jan. 18, 2014.

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A Russian Orthodox priest blessing water in a river on Russian Orthodox Epiphany in the village of Sorokino, just outside Moscow, early Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014. The temperature in Moscow is -20C ( -4 F

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Orthodox priests and believers bath in the Black Sea during Epiphany celebrations in Khosta, Sochi district Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014.

A girl smiles as she is helped to get into the ice-cold water of the Ob River after it was blessed by an Orthodox priest on Epiphany Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014 in Ordynka village near Novosibirsk about 2800 kilometers (1,750 miles) east of Moscow.

A Russian Orthodox believer swims in the icy water on Epiphany in the Neva River in St.Petersburg, Russia, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014. The temperature in St.Petersburg is -16C

Russian Orthodox believers gather to swim in the icy water on Epiphany in the Neva River in St.Petersburg, Russia, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014, with Zimny (Winter) Palace in the background.