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Orthodox Epiphany celebrations in pictures

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

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Orthodox Christians celebrate the religious holiday of Epiphany according to the Julian calendar on January 19. Photo: Blessing of holy water in the Cathedral of the Dormition in the town of Kineshma, Ivanovo region, Russia

© Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

Believers traditionally plunge into cold water on Epiphany. Photo: Celebrations of the Orthodox Epiphany outside Zaslavl town, Minsk region, Belarus

© Viktor Drachev/TASS

On this day water becomes holy and churchgoers cut holes in the ice of lakes and rivers to bathe in the freezing water. Photo: A mass baptism ceremony on Epiphany day in Vladivostok, Russia

© Yuri Smityuk/TASS

Russian Orthodox believers take a dip in the icy waters of Amur Bay, Vladivostok

© Yuri Smityuk/TASS

A man gets ready to take a dip into a basin with ice water during celebrations of the Orthodox Epiphany in Moscow's Revolution Square

© Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

A mass baptism ceremony on Epiphany day in Moscow

© Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

Ice seen on a lake during celebrations of the Orthodox Epiphany in Ryazan region, Russia

© Kristina Kormilitsyna/TASS

People get ready to take a dip into the icy waters of Angarsky pond in Volgograd

© Dmitry Rogulin/TASS

A mass baptism ceremony in Volgograd

© Dmitry Rogulin/TASS

Russian Orthodox priests carrying crosses and icons ahead of the procession of the Cross marking the Orthodox Epiphany in Ivanovo region

© Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

A priest blesses an ice-hole during the celebrations of the Orthodox Epiphany in Ivanovo region

© Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

Georgian Orthodox believers pray during Epiphany celebrations at the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, Georgia

© EPA/ZURAB KURTSIKIDZE

Religious ceremony of the Baptism of Jesus Christ, in Pamplona, northern Spain purify their health with blessed water.

© AP / Alvaro Barrientos

Christian Orthodox pilgrims bathe in the Jordan river during a baptism ceremony at Qasr-el Yahud near the West Bank town of Jericho

© AP / Oded Balilty

Orthodox Christians celebrate the religious holiday of Epiphany according to the Julian calendar on January 19. Believers traditionally plunge into cold water on Epiphany. More than 1.5 million people participated in Epiphany bathing in Russia this year, according to the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Orthodox Epiphany celebrations - in photo gallery by TASS

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