Orthodox Christians across the world are celebrating the main Christian holidays on January 19th, the day of the Epiphany.
It is the oldest Christian holiday dedicated to the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. It is believed that after this Jesus began to enlighten people.
There is a tradition of bathing in a water bowl, symbolizing the immersion of Jesus in the waters of the River Jordan in the rite of baptism over him. Priests and parishioners of many churches go to ponds where ice has been cut beforehand, and immerse themselves in the water three times as a prayer.
It is believed the water of the Epiphany is full of healing properties and can purify a believer of their sins.
There are 59 places for bathing this year in Moscow and more than 2000 across the whole Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited a male monastery to the northwest of Moscow and took a dip in the icy waters of Lake Seliger to celebrate the Epiphany.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Putin visited the Nilo-Stolobensky monastery in the Tver region after wrapping up his working visit to St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region.
According to Peskov, this winter season, central Russia has not been hit by traditional cold weather and this night the temperature was not below minus 6-7 degrees of Celsius.
He also recalled that this is not the first time when Putin is bathing in the icy waters. The president, according to the press-secretary, has taken part in the ice-hole bathing event "for several years already".
The ritual dunks in the icy waters take place overnight to January 19 on one of major Orthodox Christian holidays, the Epiphany.
