Orthodox Epiphany celebrations - in pictures

Moscow, Russia: People gather around a frozen pond in Kolomenskoe park Photograph: Mikhail Metzel/AP

Tyarlevo, Russia: A woman emerges from the icy water Photograph: Dmitry Lovetsky/AP

Veliky Novgorod, Russia: Orthodox church faithful marking Epiphany by plunging into the ice cold water of the Veryazha River Photograph: Mikhail Mordasov/AFP/Getty Images

Novoiyerusalimsky, Russia: An Orthodox priest blesses the Istra river by dipping a cross in the water Photograph: Anton Golubev/Reuters

Moscow, Russia: A man crosses himself before taking a dip in the ice hole of the pond in Kolomenskoe park Photograph: Mikhail Metzel/AP

Sosnovka, Kyrgyzstan: Believers take part in Orthodox Epiphany celebrations on the river Kara-Balta Photograph: Vladimir Pirogov/Reuters

Moscow, Russia: A man crosses himself as he emerges from the water of a lake Photograph: Natalia Kolesnikova/AFP/Getty Images

Novoiyerusalimsky, Russia: A man takes a dip in the icy waters of the Istra river Photograph: Anton Golubev/Reuters

Almaty, Kazakhstan: Orthodox priests conduct a service on the banks of the Bolshaya Almatinka river Photograph: Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters

Almaty, Kazakhstan: A man crosses himself after taking a dip in the icy water of the Bolshaya Almatinka river as an emergency rescuer looks on Photograph: Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters

Pukhovichi, Belarus: Soldiers plunge into ice cold water to mark Orthodox Epiphany Photograph: Viktor Drachev/AFP/Getty Images

Belgrade, Serbia: Marko Tomasevic lifts up a wooden cross, after being the first to reach it in a traditional event in which local men fish the cross from the Danube river Photograph: Marko Drobnjakovic/AP

Kiev, Ukraine: People enact a battle to mark the Orthodox Epiphany Photograph: Sergey Dolzhenko/EPA

A pilgrim is baptised in the Jordan river near Jericho in the West Bank Photograph: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images

People jump into icy waters in Ohrid, Macedonia Photograph: Ognen Teofilovski/Reuters

A man emerges from an icy pond in Moscow Photograph: Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/AP