Ice Church In Romania Receives Inaugural Blessings From Priests [PHOTOS]

Priests from different Christian denominations inaugurated a church made out of ice blocks in Romania, in what's become an annual tradition, the Associated Press reports. The church is located at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters (6,500 feet), at the Balea Lac resort in the Fagaras mountains.

A group of faith leaders including a Franciscan monk, a Romanian Orthodox priest and a Greek Catholic priest were part of the ceremony on Thursday to bless the new church. The church’s altar, decorations and even a depiction of Jesus Christ on the cross were carved out of ice made from sanctified water.

The ice church has been built for each of the past five years where it has become a popular tourist destination, according to a website for the Hotel of Ice, which hosts the chapel on its property. The interdenominational chapel hosts weddings, baptisms and concerts, as long as weather permits. Before construction, a group of priests from the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and evangelical traditions sanctify Balea Lac’s water that is later used to build the church. Afterward, an inaugural ceremony sanctifies the church itself.