Irkutsk (Russia), Jan 25 (RIA Novosti) Some 50 people were poisoned in the east Siberian city of Irkutsk after they drank 'holy water' from wells during religious ceremonies of Epiphany, a local consumer watchdog said Monday.

The regional Investigation Committee, which is looking into the mass poisoning, said all the victims complained of 'symptoms of acute intestinal infection' and high temperature, and 40 of them, including 22 children, have been hospitalised.

'All the victims have taken water from two wells near the Archangel Michael Church (during Epiphany celebration Jan 19), and from an ice hole made in a nearby lake,' the consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor said. The water is suspected to be the source of infection.

The water is believed to become holy and have healing properties during the baptism of Christ, or Epiphany.

Many people believe any water - even from the taps of kitchen sink - poured or bottled by Christians on Epiphany becomes holy. The water sanctified in churches is often stored by believers for long periods.

--RIA Novosti

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