Russia, January 20: Russian President Vladimir Putin took a dip in icy waters on Tuesday as believers across the country marked the Orthodox Christian celebration of Epiphany in the same manner.

Putin, dressed in nothing but a pair of blue swimming trunks, immersed himself in the freezing water of a cross-shaped pool near Moscow on Tuesday. Several other believers marked the day by dipping themselves into the icy cold water.

In a temperature at minus 14 Celsius, Putin removed a sheepskin coat which he was wearing to enter the icy waters and submerged himself three times beneath the surface, in front of an ice-sculpted cross.

Vladimir Putin Takes a Dip in Icy Waters

According to reports, as president, Putin has become a frequent attendee of Russian Orthodox ceremonies and has given the church a major voice in society.

January 19 is a special day for Orthodox Christians across Russia. It's a day reserved for commemorating the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan, and it's called Epiphany.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 20, 2021 10:02 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).