Thousands of Russians celebrating the Orthodox Christian feast day of Epiphany, where worshippers bathe in the icy waters of frozen lakes and rivers, have been forced to cancel their traditional ceremonies due to unusually warm winter temperatures.

In Serbia's Orthodox Christian community, the feast of the Epiphany is marked by the traditional "swim for the Holy Cross." This year, 100 competitors took part in the race in the Vlasina River in southern Serbia,

However local emergency services in some regions cancelled events, saying it was too hazardous for worshippers to cut bathing holes in icy ponds and rivers View on euronews

Across Russia, the devout and the daring celebrate Epiphany on January 19 by immersing themselves in frigid water through holes cut through the ice of lakes and rivers, imitating

Russians celebrating the Orthodox Christian Epiphany on January 19 have faced disruptions due to unusually warm winter temperatures. Traditionally, worshippers immerse themselves in icy waters—through holes cut in frozen lakes and rivers—to commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ.