Posted on 01/22/2018 6:08:41 PM PST by marshmallow
Russian President Vladimir Putin continued his tradition of stripping down to the waist in public Friday when he took a dip in the freezing waters of an icy lake to celebrate the Orthodox Christian ritual marking the Epiphany.
State television showed the 65-year-old Russian leader marking a hole cut into the ice of Frozen Lake Seliger, about 250 miles north of Moscow.
After taking off a sheepskin coat and felt boots, Putin walked down wooden steps leading into the water, crossed himself and dipped his head under.
According to reports, air temperatures at the time were around 21 degrees.
Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said the president had dipped in icy waters on the Epiphany before, but Thursday marked the first time he publicly did so.
In Orthodox tradition, believers immerse themselves in rivers and lakes to commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan. Authorities set up bathing sites for believers all over Russia, including some areas in Siberia where temperatures dipped below -22 F.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
This guy just can’t keep his shirt on.
So glad Merkel doesn’t do the same.
Could never join this denomination, I don’t even like ice fishing - much less getting in freezing water with our finned friends.
when he dried off, did he murder another journalist?
Ice cold mooters. What a guy!
And yes, who needs to see Merkle that way
Greatest Russian leader since Peter the Great, IMO.
There are images of Merkel topless, from back when she was a member of the Communist Youth League or some such.
She was not so hideous back then.
I believe he is a better person than Obama.
Of course that’s setting the bar mighty LOW.
Oddly, the photograph of his emergence does not include his entire torso.
Someday after he is gone the Russian Orthodox Church might make him a saint.
He has people for that. He does boss things.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.