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Celebrations of the Orthodox Epiphany holiday in Russia

Orthodox Christians celebrate the religious holiday of Epiphany according to the Julian calendar on January 19

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Orthodox believers plunging into a basin with cold water during celebrations of Orthodox Epiphany at the Izmailovo Kremlin in Moscow

© Artyom Korotayev/TASS

Celebrations of Orthodox Epiphany at the Izmailovo Kremlin in Moscow

© Artyom Korotayev/TASS

Russian State Duma member, former professional boxer, two-time WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuyev taking a dip in the icy waters through a hole carved into the frozen Yenisei River in Krasnoyarsk

© Irina Yakunina/TASS

Orthodox believers waiting in the snow to dip in the icy waters of the frozen Sportivnaya Harbour, Amur Bay, in Vladivostok

© Yuri Smityuk/TASS

Believers plunging in the icy waters through a Cross shaped hole carved into the frozen Sportivnaya Harbour in Vladivostok

© Yuri Smityuk/TASS

Believers taking dip in the icy waters of Orekhovo Ozero Lake, during the celebration of Epiphany in Ryazan

© Alexander Ryumin/TASS

Celebrations of Orthodox Epiphany in Moscow's Revolution Square

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

A woman in a basin of cold water in Moscow's Revolution Square

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

A girl dips into a basin of cold water in Moscow's Revolution Square

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Believers plunging in the icy waters through a hole carved into a frozen river in Kaliningrad

© Vitaly Nevar/TASS

Orthodox believers queue to take a dip in the icy waters of the Neva River, during the celebration of Epiphany in Saint Petersburg

© Alexander Demianchuk/TASS

A girl seen after taking a dip into the icy waters of Lake Shartash in Yekaterinburg

© Donat Sorokin/TASS

People plunging into the waters of non-freezing springs in the village of Shopino, Belgorod region

© Anton Vergun/TASS

Celebrations of Orthodox Epiphany in Sochi

© Artur Lebedev/TASS

Orthodox believers taking dip in waters of the Black Sea in Sochi

© Artur Lebedev/TASS

The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the holiday of Epiphany according to the Julian calendar on January 19. In Eastern Christianity, the feast of Epiphany commemorates the Baptism of Jesus. About 2 million people participated in Epiphany bathing in Russia this year. Orthodox Epiphany celebrations - in photo gallery by TASS

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