Epiphany rituals cleanse Orthodox faithfuls in Eastern Europe - Bacau

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Eastern Orthodox Christians pose after commemorating the baptism of Jesus by jumping into the frozen Dnieper River in Dnipropetrovsk. According to adherents, the practice is said to cleanse the misdeeds of the past year.

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A deacon ushers Romanian Orthodox Bishop Joachim Giosanu , center, to the traditional water blessing on the Holy Epiphany holiday in Bacău.

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Faithful Orthodox Christians light candles in at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Sibiu. Lighting candles is an important part of Orthodox worship.

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Crowds compete to receive "Theophany water" during the Epiphany holiday in Bacău. The crowds can occasionally become aggressive.

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A man bathes in the Dnepr river in Dnepropetrovsk.

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Girls perform and sing during the Epiphany celebration on Komsomolska Island in Dnepropetrovsk.

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Women pray at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Sibiu, Romania.

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Men in Bacău distribute Theophany water during the Epiphany holiday. The water has been blessed by the Archbishop of the Orthodox church, and is believed to have healing properties.

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Men compete during the Epiphany celebration in Dnepropetrovsk. The two contestants stand on a beam and try to knock each other off by hitting each other with stuffed sacks.

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A man observes tradition at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Sibiu. In the Orthodox church, candles are lit as an offering to accompany prayers.

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A participant dries himself after bathing in the frozen Dnepr river during Epiphany in Dnepropetrovsk.

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Romanian Orthodox Bishop Joachim Giosanu gives a blessing during the Epiphany holiday in Bacău.

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Women dance and sing traditional Ukrainian music at the Epiphany celebration on Komsomolska Island in Dnepropetrovsk.

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Crowds compete to receive "Theophany water" during the Epiphany holiday in Bacău. Theophany water differs from regular holy water in that the very nature of the water is changed and becomes incorrupt.

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A reporter gets the scoop from a participant in the Epiphany tradition.

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A woman holds vigil at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Sibiu. In the Orthodox church, candles are lit as an offering to accompany prayers.

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Men in Bacău distribute holy water during the Epiphany holiday. Many believers will share the water with kin at a family gathering later the same day.

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An elderly woman waits for her allotment of Theophany water during the Epiphany ceremony in Bacău.

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Women buy flowers for offering on the Epiphany holiday in Dnipropetrovsk.

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Alexey Ivancha, Novamoskovsk, endures the shock of a dip in the freezing Dnepr river in Dnipropetovsk on Epiphany. Participants in the ritual may dip themselves three times under the water, honoring the Holy Trinity, to symbolically wash away sins.

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Ukrainian boys in traditional Cossack dress perform feats of agility during the Epiphany celebration in Dnepropetrovsk.

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Romanian Orthodox Bishop Joachim Giosanu greets Orthodox Christians during the Epiphany holiday in Bacău.

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Crowds gather for the Epiphany festivites on Komsomolska Island in Dnepropetrovsk.

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A girl sells religious icons at a stall in Sibiu, Romania.

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Men bond after bathing in the frozen Dnepr river on Epiphany in Dnepropetrovsk.

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Orthodox Christians in Romania and Ukraine celebrate the baptism of Jesus by cleansing themselves with sacred water. The holiday is known as the 'Epiphany'.

Epiphany (Russian: Крещение) is the celebration of the baptism of Jesus Christ. The holiday holds great importance and tradition in the Eastern and Greek Orthodox churches. It falls on Jan 6 according to the Roman calendar, and Jan 19 on the Eastern Calendar.
On Epiphany, the church sanctifies water from a natural source, such as a spring. Orthodox Christians have a long-standing tradition to bring home this holy water, which is believed to possess curable properties. Crowds can become very aggressive when competing for the limited supply. Some Russians and Ukrainians think any water - even from the taps on the kitchen sink - poured or bottled on Epiphany becomes holy water, since all the water in the world is blessed this day and is imbued with special powers,.
The Priest can also bless a body of water, such as a lake or river. Russians and Ukrainians cut holes in the ice of lakes and rivers, often in the shape of the cross, to bathe in the freezing water. Participants in the ritual may dip themselves three times under the water, honoring the Holy Trinity, to symbolically wash away their sins from the past year, and to experience a sense of spiritual rebirth.