Many Ukrainians, especially politicians who some joke have more sins than most, step inside ice holes - cut in the shape of a cross - to honour the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

BBC: Pagan holidays in modern Ukraine

The play began at 0530 BST on Good Friday with a scene on the seafront inspired by John the Baptist's baptism of Jesus, which was watched by several hundred people who had only heard about it by word of mouth.

BBC: Michael Sheen's Port Talbot Passion play reaches finale

Despite competing claims the Vatican itself declared the site in the country to be the place of Jesus's baptism.

ECONOMIST: The pope reaches Israel in his tour of the Middle East