Video People swim in frozen lake to celebrate Orthodox Epiphany

SHOLIST:

1. Wide of congregation coming down to water hole

2. Russian Orthodox priest blessing water hole with a rosary

3. Close-up of priest's hands dipping cross into water

4. Priest and congregant stepping into water

5. People on side crossing themselves

6. Priest ducking congregant in water, and then ducking in himself

7. Skiers watching ceremony

8. Congregants in bathing suits crossing themselves before ducking in water hole

9. Pan of mother with child ducking and coming out of water, people waiting to wrap them in towels

10. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Archpriest Mikhail Maleev:

"I think that the Russian mind mentally needs some extremity. If it were plus 15 it will not cause such enthusiasm here. When it is really minus five or as it was previously minus 35, that is fine. This is the Russian mind! So when foreigners watch Russians, they are astonished by the mysterious Russian soul."

11. Mother ducking girl in water by force

12. Spectators watching ceremony

13. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Sergei, congregant:

"I am in a good mood, my impressions are wonderful. Everything is fine. So I recommend it to you."

(Q: What for are you doing it?)

"I am doing it for my personal pleasure... In order to feel sure of myself and to get what we, men, are able to do. And women are joining us as well."

14. Congregants in the water hole

15. Wide of frozen river and bathers next to hole

STORYLINE:

Orthodox Christians in Russia celebrated Epiphany on Saturday by taking part in the annual Orthodox tradition of plunging through ice holes and bathing in icy waters.

AP Television footage showed congregants ducking into icy waters in Moscow, while skiers on the frozen river watched the ceremony.

Archpriest Maleev, one of the celebrants, attempted to explain the enthusiasm for the ceremony among the congregation, even at sub zero temperatures.

"I think that the Russian mind mentally needs some extremity," he said. "If it were plus 15 it will not cause such enthusiasm here. When it is really minus five or as it was previously minus 35, that is fine. This is the Russian mind! "

Orthodox Christians believe that holy water blessed on Epiphany has special healing qualities and administer it to heal spiritual ailments.

All that one has to do is to immerse himself in water hole three times.

"I am doing it for my personal pleasure... In order to feel sure of myself and to get what we, men, are able to do. And women are joining us as well," said one of the those taking part in the ceremony on Saturday.

Many Russians store the water at home for the year and it is customary to drink a little on mornings on an empty stomach.

Priests recommend the holy water to be sprinkled on food products and other household goods.

In addition to believers, many atheists reportedly acknowledge the healing powers of the blessed water.

The extremely long lines of people with bottles and jugs that form outside church doors on the eve of Epiphany bear witness to this phenomenon.

The Orthodox Holy Day commemorates the baptisms of the first Russian Christians in 988 AD on the 19th January.




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