Day of Epiphany

The epiphany, celebrated in Russia on January 19, marks the baptism of Jesus in the Orthodox church calendar and according to tradition, the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.  Russians all over the country cut holes in the ice of lakes and rivers so that waters may be blessed by a priest, believing that thereby on this day, water becomes holy and is imbued with special powers,

You can actually find people doing this all winter long, not just on Epiphany day.  Chris took the two younger boys to do it on the day before Epiphany day.  It was so cold, we had to break the ice off the water.