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To observe the Feast of Epiphany (Baptism of Jesus Christ), Russian President Vladimir Putin went for a dip in a freezing lake half naked.
According to Mirror UK, the 65-year-old President marched onto the frozen lake in a -6C weather and removed his thick sheepskin coat and felt boots for the cameras.
He then climbed down a set of wooden steps into a hole in the ice, crossed himself and dipped his head under the water.
The occasion took place late Thursday at Lake Seliger, about 250 miles north of Moscow.
The Orthodox Church in Eastern Europe and the Coptic Christians in Egypt celebrate Christmas on January 7. The date is different because the Russian Orthodox church uses the old ‘Julian’ calendar for religious celebration days. Like the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church also celebrates Advent.
Photos: AFP