Lazarev Saturday (16/04)

Lazarus Saturday for Orthodox Christians — is the Saturday before Palm Sunday, Saturday of the sixth week of Lent. On this day, the Orthodox Church remembers the miracle of Christ’s resurrection of the righteous Lazarus.

The celebration of Lazarus Saturday itself has been established since ancient times. Orthodox Christians in Cyprus, Bulgaria, Greece and a number of other countries celebrate the holiday according to the Gregorian calendar.

Saint Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary, lived with his sisters near Jerusalem, in the village of Bethany.

Christ often visited their house, and called Lazarus his friend. One day Lazarus fell ill, and when the news of this reached Christ, He said: « This disease is not for death, but for the glory of God, may the Son of God be glorified through it».

Lazarus died four days before Jesus arrived in Bethany. Hearing about the death of Lazarus, «Jesus shed tears», — says in the Gospel (John. 11, 35). But Christ ordered the stone to be taken away from the cave in which the righteous man was buried, and cried out to him: «Lazarus! Go out». The deceased rose again and left the burial cave.

The news of the miracle quickly spread throughout Judea. And when the next day Christ entered Jerusalem in a young donkey, many people greeted Him as king. They laid their clothes and palm branches on His path, the symbol of which in Russia is willows. And Saint Lazarus lived another 30 years after his resurrection — he was a bishop in Cyprus and preached Christianity.

The Church honors the resurrection of Lazarus as one of the most important, significant miracles performed by Jesus Christ during His earthly journey. This is a symbol of the fact that the life, death of a person, and hope for the coming resurrection of all the dead who believed in Christ and fulfilled His commandments are subject to the Lord.

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