Epiphany celebrations - in pictures

Men jump into a lake in an attempt to grab a wooden cross on Epiphany in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is believed that the person who retrieves it will be freed from evil spirits for the year Photograph: Stoyan Nenov/Reuters

An Orthodox priest baptises a baby in the icy waters of the river Tundzha during celebrations of Epiphany in the town of Kalofer, Bulgaria Photograph: Valentina Petrova/AP

Men in traditional Befana costumes compete in the Regatta delle Befane on the Grand Canal in Venice. Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children on Epiphany eve Photograph: Manuel Silvestri/Reuters

Members of the Greek Orthodox church celebrate Epiphany in Thessaloniki, Greece. The feast day traditionally commemorates when Jesus was baptised in the river Jordan Photograph: Vladimir Rys Photography/Getty Images

Carollers look around as they arrive inside German president Joachim Gauck's residence, Bellevue castle, in Berlin on Epiphany. Traditionally at Epiphany around 500,000 carollers in Germany collect money for children's aid projects around the world Photograph: Markus Schreiber/AP

A young man holds up the Epiphany cross after a competition to retrieve it from the water in Faliro, a suburb of Athens, Greece Photograph: John Kolesidis/Reuters

Pope Benedict XVI attends the Epiphany mass at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. During the ceremony the pontiff named four new bishops, including his personal secretary Georg Gaenswein Photograph: Getty Images

A Romanian peasant closes his eyes as being blessed, together with his horse, by an orthodox priest in the village of Pietrosani, near Bucharest. Peasants from Pietrosani and surrounding villages have their horses blessed on Epiphany. After the blessing, the horses and their riders, accompanied by community members, take part in a horse race on the outskirts of the village. Photograph: Robert Ghement/EPA

Children wear traditional dresses as they parade through the centre of Lviv, Ukraine Photograph: Yuriy Dyachyshyn/AFP/Getty Images

A man holds a camel before a traditional march from Hradcany Castle to Bethlehem's manger in Prague, Czech Republic. The annual procession re-enacts the journey of the three wise men to the infant Jesus Photograph: Michal Cizek/AFP/Getty Images

Bulgarian men dance in the icy waters of the Tundzha river during a celebration in Kalofer, Bulgaria. It is believed that the ritual of dancing in the river will bring good health throughout the new year Photograph: Stoyan Nenov/Reuters