, observedby =
Oriental
The Orient is a term for the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of '' Occident'', the Western World. In English, it is largely a metonym for, and coterminous with, the ...
and
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or " canonical ...
Christians
, date = Variable
, date =
, date =
, date =
, relatedto =
Raising of Lazarus,
Great Lent
Great Lent, or the Great Fast, ( Greek: Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, meaning "Great 40 Days," and "Great Fast," respectively) is the most important fasting season of the church year within many denomin ...
,
Palm Sunday
, frequency=Annual
Lazarus Saturday in
Eastern Christianity
Eastern Christianity comprises Christian traditions and church families that originally developed during classical and late antiquity in Eastern Europe, Southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, the Caucasus, Northeast Africa, the Fertile Crescent an ...
(consisting of the
Eastern Orthodox
Eastern Orthodoxy, also known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity, is one of the three main branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.
Like the Pentarchy of the first millennium, the mainstream (or " canonical ...
and
Oriental Orthodox
The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 60 million members worldwide. The Oriental Orthodox Churches are part of the Nicene Christian tradition, and represent ...
Churches) refers to the
moveable feast before
Palm Sunday to which it is liturgically linked. It celebrates the
raising of Lazarus of Bethany.
Bethany
Bethany ( grc-gre, Βηθανία,Murphy-O'Connor, 2008, p152/ref> Syriac: ܒܝܬ ܥܢܝܐ ''Bēṯ ʿAnyā'') or what is locally known as Al-Eizariya or al-Azariya ( ar, العيزرية, " laceof Lazarus"), is a Palestinian town in the West ...
is recorded in the
New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Chris ...
as a small village in
Judaea, the home of the siblings
Mary of Bethany,
Martha
Martha (Hebrew: מָרְתָא) is a biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke and John. Together with her siblings Lazarus and Mary of Bethany, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem. She was witness ...
, and
Lazarus, as well as that of
Simon the Leper.
John's gospel
The Gospel of John ( grc, Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, translit=Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels. It contains a highly schematic account of the ministry of Jesus, with seven "si ...
reports that ''"Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead."'' Presumably, it is where he spent the
Great Sabbath that occurs immediately before
Passover
Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the Biblical story of the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt, which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the first month of Aviv, or spring. ...
, prior to his
triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...
is reported to have lodged there during
Holy Week
Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...
, and it is where
his anointing by Lazarus' sister
Mary took place a few days later on
Holy Wednesday.
History
The antiquity of this commemoration is demonstrated by the homilies of
St. John Chrysostom (
349–
407),
St Augustine of Hippo Regia (
354–
430
__NOTOC__
Year 430 ( CDXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Theodosius and Valentinianus (or, less frequently, yea ...
), and others. In the 7th and 8th centuries, special hymns and canons for the feast were written by
St. Andrew of Crete,
St. Cosmas of Maium and
St. John Damascene, which are still sung to this day.
Liturgical aspects
Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday together hold a unique position in the church year, as days of joy and triumph interposed between the penitence of
Great Lent
Great Lent, or the Great Fast, ( Greek: Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, meaning "Great 40 Days," and "Great Fast," respectively) is the most important fasting season of the church year within many denomin ...
and the mourning of
Holy Week
Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...
.
Divine services
During the preceding week the
propers in the
Lenten Triodion
The Triodion ( el, Τριῴδιον, ; cu, Постнаѧ Трїωдь, ; ro, Triodul, sq, Triod/Triodi), also called the Lenten Triodion (, ), is a liturgical book used by the Eastern Orthodox Church. The book contains the propers for ...
track the sickness and then the death of
Lazarus, and Christ's journey from beyond
Jordan
Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...
to
Bethany
Bethany ( grc-gre, Βηθανία,Murphy-O'Connor, 2008, p152/ref> Syriac: ܒܝܬ ܥܢܝܐ ''Bēṯ ʿAnyā'') or what is locally known as Al-Eizariya or al-Azariya ( ar, العيزرية, " laceof Lazarus"), is a Palestinian town in the West ...
. This week is referred to as the "Week of Palms" or the "Flowery Week."
[Sergei Bulgakov, ''Nastolnaya Kniga Dlya Svyaschenno-Tserkovno-Sluzhitelei'' (Handbook for Church Servers), 2nd edition (Kharkov, Ukraine, 1900), Tr. Fr. Eugene Tarris]
The Sixth Week of Great Lent
. Accessed 2007-04-02.
The position of Lazarus Saturday is summed up in the first
sticheron
A sticheron ( Greek: "set in verses"; plural: stichera; Greek: ) is a hymn of a particular genre sung during the daily evening (Hesperinos/Vespers) and morning ( Orthros) offices, and some other services, of the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine C ...
chanted at
vespers
Vespers is a service of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic (both Latin and Eastern), Lutheran, and Anglican liturgies. The word for this fixed prayer time comes from the Latin , mea ...
on Friday:
Having completed the
forty days that bring profit to our soul, we beseech Thee in Thy love for man: Grant us also to behold the Holy Week of Thy
Passion, that in it we may glorify Thy mighty acts and Thine ineffable
dispensation for our sakes, singing with one mind: O Lord, glory to Thee.
During Friday vespers the reading of
Genesis
Genesis may refer to:
Bible
* Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind
* Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
(which began on the first day of Great Lent) is concluded with the description of the death, burial and mourning of
Jacob
Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ...
() and on Friday night, at
compline
Compline ( ), also known as Complin, Night Prayer, or the Prayers at the End of the Day, is the final prayer service (or office) of the day in the Christian tradition of canonical hours, which are prayed at fixed prayer times.
The English ...
, a ''
Canon on the Raising of Lazarus'' by Saint
Andrew of Crete is sung; this is a rare full canon, having all nine
canticles.
The scripture readings and hymns for this day focus on the raising of Lazarus as a foreshadowing of the
Resurrection of Christ and a prefiguring of the
General Resurrection
General resurrection or universal resurrection is the belief in a resurrection of the dead, or resurrection from the dead (Koine: , ''anastasis onnekron''; literally: "standing up again of the dead") by which most or all people who have died w ...
. The Gospel narrative is interpreted in the hymns as illustrating the
two natures of Christ: his ''humanity'' in asking, "Where have ye laid him?" (), and his ''divinity'' by commanding Lazarus to come forth from the dead (). A number of the hymns, written in the first or second person, relate Lazarus' death, entombment and burial bonds symbolically to the individual's sinful state. Many of the resurrectional hymns of the normal Sunday service are sung while
prayers for the departed, prescribed on Sundays, are permitted. During the
divine liturgy
Divine Liturgy ( grc-gre, Θεία Λειτουργία, Theia Leitourgia) or Holy Liturgy is the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine Rite, developed from the Antiochene Rite of Christian liturgy which is that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate ...
, the baptismal hymn, "As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" () replaces the
Trisagion
The ''Trisagion'' ( el, Τρισάγιον; 'Thrice Holy'), sometimes called by its opening line ''Agios O Theos'', is a standard hymn of the Divine Liturgy in most of the Eastern Orthodox, Western Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Cat ...
indicating that this had been a day on which
baptism
Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...
s were performed
and in some churches nowadays adult converts are still baptized on this day.
Associated customs
Fasting
Although the forty days of Great Lent end on Lazarus Friday, this day is still observed as a
fast day; however, the fast is mitigated to allow consumption of
caviar, eggs being a symbol of the resurrection and prominent on
Pascha, and fish eggs being a shadow thereof show the raising of Lazarus as a foreshadowing of Christ's Resurrection, as elucidated in the
propers of the day.
Hermits
Lazarus Saturday is the day when, traditionally,
hermit
A hermit, also known as an eremite ( adjectival form: hermitic or eremitic) or solitary, is a person who lives in seclusion. Eremitism plays a role in a variety of religions.
Description
In Christianity, the term was originally applied to a C ...
s would leave their retreats in the wilderness to return to the
monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whic ...
for the Holy Week services.
In many places in the
Russian Church, the
vestments
Vestments are liturgical garments and articles associated primarily with the Christian religion, especially by Eastern Churches, Catholics (of all rites), Anglicans, and Lutherans. Many other groups also make use of liturgical garments; th ...
and
church hangings on this day ( ru , Лазарева суббота or Вербная суббота) and on Palm Sunday are green, denoting the renewal of life. In the
Greek Church
The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also call ...
, it is customary on Lazarus Saturday to
plait elaborate crosses out of palm leaves which will be used on Palm Sunday.
Regional observances
Armenia
The Raising of Lazarus is also commemorated on this same Saturday according to the
Church Calendar of the
Armenian Apostolic Church
, native_name_lang = hy
, icon = Armenian Apostolic Church logo.svg
, icon_width = 100px
, icon_alt =
, image = Էջմիածնի_Մայր_Տաճար.jpg
, imagewidth = 250px
, a ...
.
Greece and Cyprus
Baking
lazarakia to eat on Lazarus Saturday is a tradition practiced in Greece and Cyprus. It is said to have originated in Cyprus, and it is significant that St. Lazarus was their first bishop. The bread is a mildly sweet Lenten bread made with sweet-smelling spices that looks like Lazarus bound up in grave clothes.
Serbia and Bulgaria
The feast of Lazarus Saturday is commemorated by
Serbian Orthodox
The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous ( ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodox Christian churches.
The majority of the population ...
and
Bulgarian Orthodox tradition
A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
. Due to a general lack of palm trees, willow twigs branches are blessed, and distributed to the faithful. In Serbia, small bells are often tied to the branches. Other left-over traditions related (perhaps related to paganism) include:
*Burning a fire against vermin and snakes
*Picking flowers and herbs which are put in water to either drink or swim in
*
Lazarice
Lazarice ( sr, лазарице), also known by its Bulgarian name Lazaruvane ( bg, лазаруване), is a South Slavic traditional procession during the Eastern Orthodox feast of Lazareva Subota (corresponding to, but distinct from ''Lazarus ...
ritual, a procession, parade of six maids
Notes
References
External links
Lazarus Saturday–
Icon
An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The mos ...
and
Synaxarion
Synaxarion or Synexarion (plurals Synaxaria, Synexaria; el, Συναξάριον, from συνάγειν, ''synagein'', "to bring together"; cf. etymology of ''synaxis'' and '' synagogue''; Latin: ''Synaxarium'', ''Synexarium''; cop, ⲥⲩⲛ ...
Samedi de Lazare– French translation of above article, with added material (Orthodoxwiki, homily, Icons)
Danas je Lazareva subota
{{Holy Week
Lent
Byzantine Rite
Eastern Orthodox liturgical days
Holy Week
Greek traditions
Saturday observances
Oriental Orthodoxy
April observances
May observances
Serbian traditions
Bulgarian traditions
Slavic holidays
Holidays based on the date of Easter