This past week, lamestream propaganda media tried to drum up interest around a “shirtless” Putin picture, as the Russian leader was shown in water. It was a celebration close to hearts of Orthodox Christians.
Russian President Vladimir Putin celebrated the Orthodox Christian tradition of Epiphany—or baptism of baby Jesus—celebrated in Russia in third week of January by getting in the water. Priests bless water bodies—lakes and rivers—and people go in the water three times (coincident with trinity) in a kind of reenactment of the first baptism.
This cultural practice, interesting as it sounds, is quite challenging too. In January, in the Northern Hemisphere, weather is usually at its coldest. And in Russia, many places have temperatures way below freezing. So taking that plunge of Epiphany does take some spunk.
But we know Putin has it all. He, at age 65, is the tough warrior leader of classic epic tales living in post-industrial times (though the term itself could be a misnomer for contemporary society where industry still leads the way of life). So he along with other people of faith took the plunge in freezing water temperature.
The shirtlessness of the powerful Russian leader, whose forces defeated ISIS in Syria, was apparently corporate media’s way of discrediting his symbolic commitment to his people—a Christian Russian nation. Propaganda mainstream media, especially in the west, is deeply anti-Christian and can even be shown to have a soft corner for radical Islamic terror. So it was very convenient for them to ignore the cultural relevance of Putin’s participation in an Orthodox Christian ritual that depicts him as the representative of his nation and instead making it about his shirtless state—as if he was expected to immerse himself in water all dressed up.
Nevertheless, it was reasonable of local authorities in many places in Russia to cancel the ritual of taking the plunge due to dangerously cold weather that could threaten the life of the believers ready to get into icy water (without shirts on of course).
