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Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany

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Along with Easter, Epiphany is one of the oldest Christian holidays, celebrated by Orthodox Christians in Russia during the night of January 18. The traditional rite of mass bathing is performed on the Epiphany to commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan River.

According to Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM), more than 2 million Russian citizens took part in Epiphany bathing in 2016. This year, about 4,000 places were equipped for the rite, which takes place throughout the country, in large cities and small villages alike. In Russia's Far East, people bathe in the Pacific Ocean, where the temperature is below zero. In Yakutia, even a minus 40-degree frost doesn't stop them from bathing. There are special tents set next to every ice-hole in order for people to warm up, change clothes and have a cup of hot tea after taking the icy plunge.

© Sputnik / Ramil SitdikovA woman participates in Epiphany bathing in Moscow’s Sokolniki Park.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A woman participates in Epiphany bathing in Moscow’s Sokolniki Park.
© Sputnik / Pavel LisitsynEpiphany bathing performed in a baptistery near the Church of God's Saint Builders in Yekaterinburg.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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Epiphany bathing performed in a baptistery near the Church of God's Saint Builders in Yekaterinburg.
© Sputnik / Maksim BogodvidTatarstan Metropolitan Theophane holds a prayer service on a lake not far from the Raifa Monastery of the Mother of God in Zelenodolsk district in the Republic of Tatarstan.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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Tatarstan Metropolitan Theophane holds a prayer service on a lake not far from the Raifa Monastery of the Mother of God in Zelenodolsk district in the Republic of Tatarstan.
© Sputnik / Vitaliy AnkovA woman takes part in Epiphany bathing in the Church of Saint Andrew in Vladivostok.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A woman takes part in Epiphany bathing in the Church of Saint Andrew in Vladivostok.
© Sputnik / Alexandr KryazhevOrthodox Christians bathe in the Yenisei River in Sayanogorsk during Epiphany celebrations.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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Orthodox Christians bathe in the Yenisei River in Sayanogorsk during Epiphany celebrations.
© Sputnik / Maksim BogodvidOrthodox Christians participate in Epiphany bathing in the vicinity of the Raifa Monastery of the Mother of God in Zelenodolsk district in the Republic of Tatarstan.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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Orthodox Christians participate in Epiphany bathing in the vicinity of the Raifa Monastery of the Mother of God in Zelenodolsk district in the Republic of Tatarstan.
© Sputnik / Evgenya NovozheninaA girl participates in Epiphany bathing in the Jiten Monastery of the Mother of God in Ostashkov, Tver Region.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A girl participates in Epiphany bathing in the Jiten Monastery of the Mother of God in Ostashkov, Tver Region.
© Sputnik / Ilya TiminOrthodox Christians participate in Epiphany bathing in Petrozavodsk.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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Orthodox Christians participate in Epiphany bathing in Petrozavodsk.
© Sputnik / Vitaliy AnkovA priest blesses an Epiphany baptistery, prepared by EMERCOM employees on the ice of Amur Bay in Vladivostok.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A priest blesses an Epiphany baptistery, prepared by EMERCOM employees on the ice of Amur Bay in Vladivostok.
© Sputnik / Alexandr KryazhevOrthodox Christians bathe in the Yenisei River in Sayanogorsk during Epiphany celebrations.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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Orthodox Christians bathe in the Yenisei River in Sayanogorsk during Epiphany celebrations.
© Sputnik / Alexandr KryazhevChristians seen after bathing on the banks of the Yenisei River in Sayanogorsk.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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Christians seen after bathing on the banks of the Yenisei River in Sayanogorsk.
© Sputnik / Maks VetrovA woman takes part in Epiphany bathing in the Red Caves spring in Simferopol Region, Crimea.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A woman takes part in Epiphany bathing in the Red Caves spring in Simferopol Region, Crimea.
© Sputnik / Iliya PitalevA man participates in Epiphany bathing in the Holy Trinity Gerasimov-Boldin Monastery in Smolensk Region.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A man participates in Epiphany bathing in the Holy Trinity Gerasimov-Boldin Monastery in Smolensk Region.
© Sputnik / Alexandr PiragisEpiphany bathing in Lenin Square in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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Epiphany bathing in Lenin Square in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
© Sputnik / Konstantin ChalabovA woman participates in Epiphany bathing near the village of Ryshevo, Novgorod Region.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A woman participates in Epiphany bathing near the village of Ryshevo, Novgorod Region.
© Sputnik / Pavel LisitsynThe Church of God's Saint Builders in Yekaterinburg
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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The Church of God's Saint Builders in Yekaterinburg
© Sputnik / Maks VetrovA priest holds a prayer service and blesses the water before Epiphany bathing in the Red Caves spring in Simferopol Region, Crimea.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A priest holds a prayer service and blesses the water before Epiphany bathing in the Red Caves spring in Simferopol Region, Crimea.
© Sputnik / Vitaliy AnkovA woman participates in Epiphany bathing in the Amur Bay, Vladivostok.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A woman participates in Epiphany bathing in the Amur Bay, Vladivostok.
© Sputnik / Iliya PitalevOrthodox Christians take part in Epiphany bathing in the Holy Trinity Gerasimov-Boldin Monastery in Smolensk Region.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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Orthodox Christians take part in Epiphany bathing in the Holy Trinity Gerasimov-Boldin Monastery in Smolensk Region.
© Sputnik / Konstantin ChalabovA man participates in Epiphany bathing near the village of Ryshevo, Novgorod Region.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A man participates in Epiphany bathing near the village of Ryshevo, Novgorod Region.
© Sputnik / Evgenya NovozheninaEpiphany bathing in the Jiten Monastery of the Mother of God in Ostashkov, Tver Region.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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Epiphany bathing in the Jiten Monastery of the Mother of God in Ostashkov, Tver Region.
© Sputnik / Nikolay HiznyakA woman seen during the prayer service at the Epiphany Eve at the Cathedral of Saint Catherine in Krasnodar.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A woman seen during the prayer service at the Epiphany Eve at the Cathedral of Saint Catherine in Krasnodar.
© Sputnik / Maksim BlinovA man takes part in Epiphany bathing in Moscow.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A man takes part in Epiphany bathing in Moscow.
© Sputnik / Evgenya NovozheninaA boy performs the rite of Epiphany bathing in the Jiten Monastery of the Mother of God in Ostashkov, Tver Region.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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A boy performs the rite of Epiphany bathing in the Jiten Monastery of the Mother of God in Ostashkov, Tver Region.
© Sputnik / Konstantin ChalabovEpiphany bathing near the village of Ryshevo, Novgorod Region.
Cold Hands, Warm Hearts: Russians Brave the Cold to Celebrate Orthodox Epiphany - Sputnik International
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Epiphany bathing near the village of Ryshevo, Novgorod Region.
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