SOFIA, Bulgaria — Thousands of Orthodox Christian worshippers in Bulgaria on Monday braved the freezing winter weather to plunge into icy waters as they observed centuries-old Epiphany traditions.

A large crowd watched on as dozens of swimmers rushed to retrieve a wooden cross thrown by a priest into the water, in a ceremony marking Epiphany near the port of Piraeus outside Athens on Monday.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. STORY: Partakers were seen immersing themselves in the cold dark water, as temperatures in Moscow were as low as -5 degrees ...

Epiphany is a meaningful time for many Christians. One of the very first holidays (also called feast days) of the year, Epiphany comes on the heels of Christmas celebrations and is a time of joy and ...