Bucharest, April 8 /Rompres/ - The religious service on the first Easter day performed by Patriarch of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church at the Patriarchy Cathedral in Bucharest included the reading out in 12 widely used languages of an excerpt from the Bible, John 20:19-25.

Teoctist explained that that the reading out the Scripture in 12 widely spoken languages proves the "universality of truth".

"The language of the Holy Bible, the language of the Church and the language of praying are universal and it would be appropriate for each Christian to pray in his or her own mother tongue; this is a principle observed by the European Union, to which Romania has just acceded. Language is the heritage of any people's culture," said Teoctist.

The excerpt read narrates about the meeting of Jesus Christ with his disciples in the first day after the Resurrection. Jesus came in through the locked doors and greeted the disciples saying "Peace be with you!". When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. After that he breathed on them and said to them "Receive the Holy Spirit."

Of all the disciples, Thomas, called the Twin, was not there when Jesus came. When the other disciples told him that they have seen the Lord, Thomas replied: "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe".

According to the Bible, eight days later, the disciples were again inside and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at my hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!". This happening is remembered on St. Thomas Sunday.

This year, Catholics and Orthodox celebrate Easter on the same day.