Russia's faithful ice dippers fret at warm winter
Source: Reuters
(Adds quotes, colour) MOSCOW, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Russia's faithful indulged on Friday in the annual Orthodox tradition of plunging through ice holes into freezing water, but a key ingredient was missing: it is not cold. Grandmothers, robed priests and burly businessmen can usually be seen leaping through holes in the ice on frozen rivers and lakes across Russia to celebrate Orthodox Epiphany. The warmest Moscow winter since records began has melted the ice and snow, leaving the faithful to take the dip in pouring rain and temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius (50 Fahrenheit). Russians lined up before plunging into a lake at Strogino, in the capital's outskirts, where last year helpers had to skim off ice that formed in seconds in ice holes. "It is my first time. It is such a strange feeling but somehow a very good feeling too," said Nadezhda, dripping wet after taking a dip in the lake as friends looked on. "It is warm this year so I decided to try it," she said, adding that last winter, the coldest in a generation, was too chilly to take the plunge. Christian Orthodox Epiphany celebrates the baptism of Christ in the River Jordan when worshippers believe the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. It is celebrated in Russia on Jan. 19. Russians, who discuss the weather with a peculiar intensity, have been shocked by this years blazing -- for European Russia -- weather. A spokeswoman for Moscow's weather centre said this winter so far was the warmest since records began in 1879. "The water is somehow not the same this year. I don't know why -- the water just seems different without a proper frost," said Alexander, who takes the plunge every year. Besides the worshippers, bears at Moscow Zoo have also had their winter habits disrupted by the heat: the bears dropped off late for their hibernation and two have already woken up early.
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