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Frigid Weather Fails to Deter Russian Ice-Hole Swimmers
Created: 19.01.2006 17:19 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 17:19 MSK
Russian Orthodox Christians have a tradition of celebrating the Twelfth-Night (the Eve of the Epiphany) by swimming in ice-holes that symbolize the baptism of Jesus Christ in the river Jordan by John the Baptist. And it does not matter if water in the Israeli river is much warmer than water in Russia rivers. True believers are inspired by their religious enthusiasm.
But this year only the bravest Orthodox Russians got changed into swimming costumes to perform the feat. Temperatures in Moscow dropped to minus-30 Celsius (minus-22 Fahrenheit) overnight and at least 24 people have died of hypothermia across Russia over four days of frigid weather.
Nevertheless, not only religious people can be seen in swimming costumes in and around Moscow this week. A brave few even keep up their normal exercise in open swimming pools, believing it is good for their health.
A man getting ready for a winter swim / Photo: AP
An expression of the Christian faith...Russian style / Photo: AP
A Russian woman leaves an open air swimming pool into the freezing Moscow air / Photo: AFP
A traditional Russian Epiphany “performance” with traditional Russian decorations. But an actor seems to be frozen / Photo: AP
The State Duma Deputy Konstantin Kosachev / Frame from Vesti Channel l
Flamboyant Russian nationalist lawmaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky gets out off the ice cold water of the Moskva River / Frame from Vesti Channel
Women enjoy a swim in the heated water of an open-air swimming pool in downtown Moscow. Temperatures had dropped to —30C (-22F) / Photo: AP