A Belarus Orthodox believer plunges into icy waters as a priest blesses him on the eve of the Epiphany holiday in Pilnitsa some 30 km outside Minsk, on Jan. 18. Thousands of believers jump into holes cut in ice, braving freezing temperatures, to mark Epiphany, when they take part in a baptism ceremony.

A man is moments before having an ice water bath during the celebrations of the Epiphany Orthodox holiday in Moscow Friday. Moscow's temperature dropped below minus 11 degrees Celsius.

People believe that dipping into blessed waters during the holiday of Epiphany strengthens their spirit and body.

Belarus soldiers plunge into the ice cold water to mark Orthodox Epiphany near the town Pukhovichi, some 70 km south of the capital Minsk, on Jan. 19, 2012.

A Russian Orthodox church believer takes a dip in the ice cold water marking Epiphany church holiday outside St.Petersburg, Russia, Jan. 19, 2012.

An Orthodox priest walks near a bathing hole made for Epiphany celebrations in a pond in Moscow's Kolomenskoe Park Jan. 19, 2012.

Men dressed as "La Befana", an imaginary old woman who is thought to bring gifts to children during the festival of Epiphany, row boats down the Grand Canal in Venice, on Jan. 6. The orthodox Christian holiday of Epiphany is observed as the date when the Three Wise Men visited baby Jesus.

Two of the participants sail under Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal ahead of the 34th Befana Regata on Jan. 6 in Venice, Italy.

A participant of the Befana Regata helps launching a support boat ahead of the regata on Jan. 6 in Venice, Italy.

A child holds the cross as believers sing and dance at the river Tundzha, as they celebrate Epiphany in the town of Kalofer, Bulgaria, on Jan. 6, 2012. Traditionally, an Eastern Orthodox priest throws a cross in the river and it is believed that the one who retrieves it will be healthy through the year.

Believers sing and dance in the river Tundzha, as they celebrate Epiphany day, Jan. 6, 2012.

A boy holds a wooden cross as men perform the traditional Horo dance in the icy winter waters of the Tundzha river on Jan. 6, 2012.

Russian Orthodox Christians lower a young girl into the cold water of the Moskva river as they celebrate the Epiphany holiday in Moscow, Russia on Jan. 18.

A Russian Orthodox Christian woman prays while diving into the icy water of the Moskva river, as another woman looks on and collects water believing that it is holy in Moscow, Russia on Jan. 18.

A man holds a wooden cross after retrieving it from the sea during an Epiphany ceremony in Greece's northern port of Thessaloniki, Jan. 6. Similar ceremonies to mark Epiphany Day are hold across the country on river banks, seafronts and lakes.

Bulgarian men perform the traditional Bulgarian "Horo" dance in the icy winter waters of the Tundzha river in the town of Kalofer, as part of the Epiphany Day celebrations, Jan. 6. As a tradition, an Eastern Orthodox priest throws a cross in the river and it is believed that the one who retreives it will be healthy trough the year as well as all those who dance in the icy waters.

A fireworks display during the Twelfth Night procession in front of the Cibeles palace in Madrid, Spain, Jan. 5. The 'Cabalgata de Reyes' is a parade held on Jan. 5, the eve of Epiphany, in most Spanish towns and cities. It celebrates the coming of the Three Kings with their gifts for the infant Jesus. During the parade the Three Kings throw sweets into the crowd.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel looks into a bag she received from Sternsinger (carol singers) arriving from Augsburg at the Chancellery in Berlin, January 5. Sternsingers collect money between Christmas and Epiphany for charitable projects of the Roman Catholic church. This year's proceeds will go towards projects working on improving the integration of disabled children. The carol singers are dressed dressed in 'Three Wise Men' costumes.

Children look at geese in central Madrid during the traditional Epiphany parade Jan. 5. Traditionally, children in Spain receive their presents on the morning of Jan. 6 delivered by the Three Wise Men.