Think it's cold? Russians plunge into ice bath

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Think it's cold? Russians plunge into ice bath

Photos: Thousands of Russian Orthodox Church followers plunged Tuesday and Wednesday into icy rivers and ponds acrossRussia to mark the upcoming Epiphany.

Russian believers lower a young girl into ice cold water to mark the upcoming Epiphany in northwestern Moscow, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011. Thousands of Russian Orthodox Church followers plunged Tuesday into icy rivers and ponds across the country to mark Epiphany.

People walk through ice cold water in an ice hole in Kolomenskoe park on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011. Thousands of Russian Orthodox Church followers plunged Tuesday and Wednesday into icy rivers and ponds across the country to mark the upcoming Epiphany, cleansing themselves with water deemed holy for the day.

A man walks through the ice hole in Kolomenskoe park on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011. The Russian Orthodox Church follows the old Julian calendar, according to which Epiphany falls on Jan. 19. Moscow temperatures on Wednesday night dropped to 7 degrees Fahrenheit.

Russian believers gather as orthodox priests conduct a service at the ice hole of the pound in the Kolomenskoe park on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011.

A Russian woman crosses herself as she emerges from an ice hole made in the shape of a cross in a traditional Epiphany celebration in Moscow, Russia, early Wednesday, Jan 19, 2011.

Thousands of Russian Orthodox Church followers plunged Tuesday and Wednesday into icy rivers and ponds across the country to mark the upcoming Epiphany, cleansing themselves with water deemed holy for the day.

A woman plunges into the water of the Neva river to mark the Epiphany in St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011.

Russian orthodox believers march towards an ice hole during a religious procession to mark the Epiphany.

A girl emerges from cold water after plunging into an icy pond to mark the upcoming Epiphany in northwestern Moscow on Tuesday.

A man emerges from the cold water.

People stand in line to plunge into the ice hole in the Kolomenskoe park on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011.

Water that is blessed by a cleric on Epiphany is considered holy and pure until next year's celebration, and is believed to have special powers of protection and healing.

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Russian believers lower a young girl into ice cold water to mark the upcoming Epiphany in northwestern Moscow, Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2011. Thousands of Russian Orthodox Church followers plunged Tuesday into icy rivers and ponds across the country to mark Epiphany.

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