Shirtless Vladimir Putin takes a dip in freezing Russian lake to celebrate Epiphany. See pictures

Surrounded by Orthodox priests and glittering religious icons, and with the temperature hovering around minus 5 degrees C, Putin lowered himself into the freezing waters of Lake Seliger

AFP

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin and many Orthodox pilgrims braved a bitter winter snap overnight to take the annual plunge into icy water in a traditional ritual marking the baptism of Jesus. In some areas, the extreme temperatures -- which in parts of Siberia dropped to minus 68 degrees Celsius (minus 90 Fahrenheit) -- the local authorities cancelled the rite which marks Epiphany.

 

RT AFPphoto "???????? Putin takes Epiphany's icy plunge with pilgrims #AFPhttps://t.co/TlPKg2vYQrpic.twitter.com/ANicZulLru"

— Pierre Payan ???????? (@Europa_PP) January 19, 2018

Surrounded by Orthodox priests and glittering religious icons, and with the temperature hovering around minus 5 degrees C, Putin lowered himself into the freezing waters of Lake Seliger some 350 kilometres (220 miles) northwest of Moscow. Many other Russians followed suit, submerging themselves in the freezing waters in a widely-observed ritual normally observed on 18-19 of January and which last year saw two million people take the plunge.

President Vladimir Putin marks Russian Epiphany by dunking himself into the frozen Lake Seliger to commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ. This is the first time the 65-year-old Russian President has done this publicly. pic.twitter.com/0vmf3yIebf

— On Demand News (@ODN) January 19, 2018

#РИА_Видео Путин на Крещение окунулся в прорубь в монастыре на Селигере https://t.co/NakvfGuYOApic.twitter.com/40fJ4FjSQP

— РИА Новости (@rianru) January 19, 2018

In Norilsk, a city beyond the Arctic Circle, local authorities on Thursday banned the extreme bathing rite "for security reasons" as temperatures hit minus 52 Celsius and strong winds whipped up a blizzard, RIA Novosti news agency reported. Many faithful also marked the date in neighbouring Ukraine and Belarus, both of which are also predominantly Orthodox, local media said. According to Orthodox tradition, worshippers are supposed to immerse themselves three times -- in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit -- to remember the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan. To mark the occasion, Orthodox priests also go out to bless rivers and reservoirs, and even bodies of water like the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea.