Russian woman tragically drowns in 'Baptism of Christ' ceremony witnessed by her children

The "Baptism of Christ" is a renowned ceremony within the Orthodox Church. Typically, it involves dipping in an ice hole, often made in a river. Local belief suggests that such a bath could purge one of their sins.

Yet, for one woman, this was her final dip. A vast tragedy occurred during such a ritual, carried out in Russia's Leningrad region.

During the "Baptism of Christ" ritual, a 40-year-old Russian woman leaped into an ice hole cut into the Oredez River. According to an online video, she made the sign of the cross before jumping and then decided to submerge herself in the water.

Regrettably, the jump was so awkwardly executed that the woman ended up under the ice. The current of the Oredez River was so powerful that she was swept away. Despite men nearby rushing to her aid within seconds, it was too late for any effective action.

It appears that the hole the 40-year-old woman jumped into was not adequately secured. Interestingly, a designated spot for the "Baptism of Christ" ritual, supervised by the police and an ambulance team, was in the vicinity. Her choice to use an unsecured ice hole remains a mystery.

The children of the tragically deceased Russian woman bore unfortunate witness to the fatal accident. It also seems unlikely that the recovery of the woman's body will be possible. Despite divers promptly springing into action, their search operation was fruitless under the challenging conditions.