In Bethany there was a man named Lazarus, whom Jesus Christ loved, and he had two sisters: one was called Martha, the other Mary. These were simple people, hospitable, welcoming, kind. Because of their simplicity and childlike faith, the Savior often visited them in their home. This Wanderer, Who had no place to lay His head, found refuge and rest for Himself here from His labors. And then, like a whirlwind, like a storm, misfortune suddenly struck this pious house: Lazarus fell ill with a serious, severe illness.

He fell ill... And a little later he died and was buried, bitterly mourned by his sisters and all his relatives. The grief of the Lazarus sisters was even more bitter because at that time their sweet Comforter, their merciful Teacher, was not with them, but He was then on the other side of the Jordan, working great miracles there: giving sight to the blind, walking to the lame, raising the dead, as if awakening from sleep, and healing from all sorts of illnesses with one word, giving health to everyone...

Jesus Christ foresaw by His Divinity that Lazarus, His friend, died and said to the apostles: “Behold, our friend Lazarus, die.” He said and went with them to Bethany. When they approached Bethany, Martha and Mary met them on the way; They approached Jesus, sorrowful, fell with tears at His most pure feet and mournfully exclaimed: “O Lord, if You were with us, Lazarus, our brother, would not you have died then?” The good Lord answered them: “If you believe, you will still live.” They, out of deep sorrow, as if not hearing this consolation, with weeping and a great cry, said to Him: “Lord, Lord, our brother Lazarus, he has been lying in the grave for four days and stinking!” Then the Creator Lord, as if not knowing where the deceased was buried, asked them: “Show Me the place where they laid him.” And with a great multitude of people they went with Him to the tomb, and they showed Him the place where the dead man was buried. When Jesus Christ approached the grave, he ordered the heavy stone lying on it to be rolled away.

They took a stone from the coffin, and a kind of sacred trembling suddenly ran through everyone; everything seemed silent all around. It fell silent, became silent; Some kind of awe gripped everyone: our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was looking at heaven at that time - to where His Father dwells. I looked and prayed... Oh, this prayer - it blazed like a hot flame and as if on the wings of fast-flying eagles it rushed to heaven! Christ prayed, and tears, drop by drop, as if drops of blessed dew, flowed from His most pure eyes.

The Savior prayed and ended the prayer with praise to His Father: “Father, I give praise to You that You heard Me, and I knew that You always listen to Me, but for the sake of the people who stand, I decided that they may have faith, for You have sent Me and glorify your name holy!” And having spoken this, he cried out in a great voice: “Lazarus, come out!” From the thunder of this voice the rivets of hell were torn apart, all hell groaned from its illness. He groaned, and, groaning, he opened his gates, and Lazarus, who died, came out of there. Like a lion from a den, he came out of the tomb; or, better said, just as an eagle flies out of the abyss, he flew out of the bonds of hell. And he stood, wrapped in a covering, before the Lord Jesus Christ, worshiped Him as the Son of God, glorified Him, who had given him life.

Then Lazarus took his burial shrouds, as the Lord commanded, and followed Christ. Along the way, a very large crowd followed Jesus and Lazarus, accompanying Him all the way to Lazarus’s court. Lazarus rejoiced and rejoiced with all his heart and soul when he saw the house in which he lived with his sisters. All his relatives had fun and rejoiced with him. And, having made a prayer to God, Lazarus and his sisters entered his house. The Lord Jesus Christ also entered there, having stayed with Lazarus for two days. Oh, welcome Guest, sweetest Jesus! What joy Lazarus and his sisters experienced in their hearts from communicating with such a Guest! Truly indescribable, indescribable was this joy.

Only the bishops and Jewish scribes were not happy: devilish envy ate their souls. Driven by the devil, they were furious at Christ and Lazarus: they gathered their unrighteous council and decided to kill them both. Jesus, having recognized this Jewish council by His Divinity, left Bethany, for His hour had not yet come. And Lazarus, with the blessing of the Lord, fled to the island of Cyprus. On this island he was subsequently installed as bishop by the apostles. They say that after his resurrection, until his death, Lazarus, no matter what food he ate, ate it with honey, and without honey he could no longer eat any food. He did this out of the hellish sorrow in which his soul remained before the Lord the Savior called him from the grave. So, in order not to remember this hellish sorrow, in order to drown out the feeling, the experience of this sorrow in his soul, Lazarus ate only sweet, honey.

Oh, beloved, how bitter is this hellish bitterness, how terrible it is! We will be afraid so that we will not experience it for our sins. Lazarus could not avoid hellish sorrow, for Jesus Christ had not yet suffered, was not resurrected, and had not ascended to heaven. Therefore, everyone who died before Christ was inevitably involved in this hellish sorrow. But with His honest Blood, Christ consumed this sorrow, and we, who believe in Him, if we live according to His commandments, may not even recognize this sorrow at all. Let us strive, beloved, to achieve this!

They also say about Lazarus that the omophorion he wore was made and embroidered by our Most Holy Lady Theotokos, the Mother of the Lord, with her own hands and given to Lazarus. He was the gift of this priceless welcome honestly from our Lady Theotokos, with the warmest tenderness he bowed to Her, kissed Her nose and greatly thanked God...

After his resurrection, having lived well and pleasingly to God for another thirty years, Lazarus again rested in peace and departed to the Kingdom of Heaven. The wise King Leo, by some divine manifestation, transferred his holy body from the island of Cyprus to Constantinople and honestly placed it in a silver shrine in the holy temple built in the name of Lazarus. This cancer exuded a great and indescribable fragrance and aroma and gave healing to all sorts of ailments of people who flowed with faith to the tomb of God’s holy friend Lazarus.

According to Higir

The biblical name Lazarus means: God's help. In the Bible, Lazarus is the brother of Mark and Martha from the village of Bethany, whom, according to legend, Jesus raised from the dead.

The character is friendly. Lazari are most often hardworking. They look like their mother, very calm. Mostly efficient and diligent. They study well, they fail in some subjects, for example physics, but thanks to their diligence they finish school well and continue their studies further, although some of them then work outside their specialty.

“Summer” ones are very vulnerable and stay in the shadows more. They do not like boasting, they are obligatory - this is especially true for the “July” Lazarus. Inner intelligence prevents them from achieving their goal in life: they give in to rudeness and rudeness. They work hard and get along well with the team. They love to play chess.

Lazari's profession includes engineers, doctors, tailors, teachers, hairdressers, electricians, lawyers, and programmers.

“Winter” ones are stubborn, persistent, and difficult for family life. Talented specialists. Their talent reveals itself after thirty years. In their creativity, Lazari often reach a high professional level. They get married late, but become good husbands and fathers, although they meet wives with complex and demanding characters. Some Lazaris marry a woman with a child.

They find a reliable life friend among those named Anastasia, Vera, Dolya, Kira, Maria, Lyudmila, Muse, Natalya, Nellie, Olesya, Ella. Family life It most likely won’t work out with Alla, Varvara, Roxana, Sophia or Tatyana.

By D. and N. Zima

Meaning and origin of the name: Russian form of the biblical name Elizar, "God helped"

Energy of the name and character: In its energy, the name Lazar is very expressive, it suggests depth of feelings, inner strength and balanced softness. The only problem is that it is perhaps too serious. Probably, it is for this reason that Lazarus grows up from childhood to be a very proud and easily wounded person. He is not malicious, even, rather, good-natured, knows how to sympathize with others, but this seriousness makes him overly sensitive to all kinds of misunderstandings and vicissitudes of life. This is further enhanced by the rarity and visibility of the name. Sometimes Lazarus is so sensitive to insults that, although he does not want revenge or any kind of satisfaction, he still painfully experiences the conflict.

In general, in terms of its qualities, and also in terms of the associations it evokes, the name is very consonant with the general spirit of the Christian religion - it is not for nothing that Lazarus is one of the most notable heroes of the Gospel, not counting, of course, Christ and his closest companions. However, this does not mean at all that modern Lazarus will necessarily be characterized by religiosity; he may be completely indifferent to religion, but such love for Christ will still be reflected in his character in one way or another.

Sometimes, however, Lazarus’s pride develops to such an extent that it even begins to manifest itself in stubbornness and some vehemence in disputes. In addition, taking life in general and himself in particular too seriously, Lazarus can find comfort in optimistic dreams. On the one hand, this is good, but on the other, these hopes for a bright future often only emphasize the negative aspects of the “dark” present, which is why today in the eyes of Lazarus may seem even more worthless than it actually is. In some cases, his dissatisfaction with life and patient waiting for wonderful changes takes on the character of a breakdown. Needless to say, with such a character Lazarus will have a very difficult time, and the point here is not so much in Lazarus’s supposed intelligence, but in his gloomy view of the real conditions of life.

The fate of Lazarus can be most favorable if he learns to love life as it is, and at the same time begins to combine his gentleness with a good sense of humor. Otherwise, when communicating with him, people may experience a strange oppressive feeling, which will create many unnecessary difficulties for him.

Secrets of communication: Lazarus really does not like frivolity, although he may secretly envy frivolous people. Sometimes, tired of his seriousness, he begins to unconsciously reach out to a person who lives under the motto “God won’t give him away, a pig won’t eat him!” In general, communicating with him does not present any particular difficulties - he is almost always ready to help or at least sympathize.

The name's trace in history:

Lazarus the Four Days

According to biblical traditions, Lazarus the Four-Days was raised from the dead by Jesus Christ four days after his burial. As soon as Jesus learned of the death of Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, who hospitably received him in their home, he hurried to Judea, despite the danger threatening him there, and, approaching Lazarus’ house, he saw Martha coming out to meet him.

“I know what you ask God, God will give you,” said the woman, not daring to ask Christ for a miracle directly.

In response, Christ ordered the stone to be rolled away from the cave where the dead man lay, and Martha reminded him that the body was decomposing and stinking. "Lazarus! Get out!" - Jesus ordered him, and he actually came out of the crypt, heeding the call, after which he lived another forty years in strict abstinence and was even installed as the first bishop of the city of Kition in Cyprus.

Lazar the Poor

Another Lazarus - the hero of many folklore texts - at one time was especially popular among the people, since he was a kind of personification of poverty and all the hopes and aspirations of the poor for a better life.

According to legend, Lazarus the Poor was a beggar who lay covered in scabs at the rich man’s gate, eating crumbs falling from his table. After death, however, he was carried by the angels to heaven, in contrast to the greedy rich man who fell into the underworld and, in torment, prayed to Abraham to send Lazarus to him to ease his suffering.

- Child! - Abraham answered him judiciously in response to all his groans. – Remember that you have already received good things in your life, but Lazarus received evil things. Now he is consoled here, and you suffer.

1. Personality: men with their feet on the ground

2.Color: purple

3. Main features: receptivity - activity - intelligence

4.Totem plant: aspen

5. Totem animal: seagull

6. Sign: Gemini

7. Type. Very nervous and melancholic, like a seagull, they allow themselves to be carried away by the wind. Their totem plant is aspen, which is also sensitive to the slightest breath of wind.

8. Psyche. They know which way the wind blows and skillfully use this knowledge. Parents should ensure that such boys actively participate in life, and not passively trail behind events. Easily influenced. They are not objective, not self-confident, although sometimes they take an aggressive position.

9. Will. Rather, it is weak, manifesting itself from time to time in a very peculiar way: they can, for example, unexpectedly change jobs, even very good ones.

10. Excitability. All their lives they are haunted by excessive nervousness, which adds to them some feminine character traits.

11. Reaction speed. They try to balance excessive excitability, often saying “No” without reason, which is only a way of self-affirmation.

12. Field of activity. They only do what they love well. Their interests change quickly, so they may move from one educational institution to another. They choose professions related to travel.

13. Intuition. Too vivid imagination and intuition only increases their nervousness and anxiety.

14. Intelligence. Flexible. Adapt well to circumstances. They have a synthetic mentality. They take in the situation at a glance, but should not neglect the little things, as this can create problems for themselves.

15. Excitability. They are too excitable and want to attract the attention of parents and teachers. These people are characterized by sentimental impulses, but then they withdraw into themselves, like a snail in its house.

16. Morality. They have difficulty developing clear and precise moral principles. They often hesitate when making decisions and are capable of compromises with their conscience.

17. Health. It’s wonderful when they are busy with something, but when they are bored, they feel depressed and tired. Must lead a measured lifestyle, avoid drinking alcohol, spare nervous system and eyes.

18. Sexuality. Their psyche is unstable, and this instability manifests itself primarily in the sexual sphere.

19. Activity. They talk more than they do. They are more willing to talk about their plans than to carry them out.

20. Sociability. They are capricious - today they are open to communication, but tomorrow they withdraw into themselves.

21. Conclusion. These are people with enormous potential; they can achieve great success provided they have a clear line of behavior and awareness of the purpose of their actions.

Lazarus the Four Days

Konstantin Ikonomos, teacher

Ο Άγιος Λάζαρος, ο τετραήμερος

cancer with the relics of St. righteous Lazarus in Larnaca

SACRED SCRIPTURE AND RATIONALISTS: Lazarus grew up in Bethany and was the brother of Martha and Mary. He was a friend of Jesus Christ () John. 11.5, 36; Mf. 21, 17; Mk. 11:11) and was raised from the dead by the Lord. The resurrection of Lazarus is described in the most detailed detail in chapter 11 of the Gospel by John the Theologian. Many rationalists look at the story of this resurrection simply as a " symbol of the sinner's spiritual restoration" and nothing more.

However, these views contradict some details in the description of this event in the Gospel, which, strictly speaking, leave no doubt about the authority and certainty of his words. So the city of Bethany (15 stadia from Jerusalem), time (four-day dead), fear of the stench, description of the coffin, graveclothes, emotional reaction The Lord, the presence of the Sadducees (who do not believe in the resurrection), as well as the enemies of the Lord who wanted to kill the Lord Jesus himself, represent living proof that John the Theologian is talking about a real and earth-shattering event.

LAZARUS IN CYPRUS: Lazarus, after his resurrection, around 30-33 A.D., left Bethany and came to Larnaca on the island. Cyprus. Here he met the apostles Paul and Barnabas as he walked from Salamis to Paphos, and he was ordained bishop of the Church, which he himself had founded. Saint Lazarus was thirty years old after his resurrection by the Lord in Bethany, St. reported this. Epiphanius of Cyprus says: “In the legend we find that Lazarus was thirty years old when he was resurrected (by the Lord), and he lived another thirty years after his resurrection and then reposed before the Lord.”
During the thirty years of the saint’s stay at the episcopal see in Kitia, St. Theodore the Studite in his Catechism. Popular legend says that Saint Lazarus was serious and did not laugh for all the thirty years that he lived after his resurrection, not at all because he did not have the grace of God, because among the blessings that he gave to believers by the All-Holy Spirit there are “joy , peace, long-suffering, meekness” (Gal. 5:22), but because his eyes, during his four-day stay in hell, saw the endless, eternal condemnation of sinners. It is also said that he smiled only once when he saw a certain woman who stole a clay vessel and commented on this event as follows: “Clay steals the pylon,” that is earth man steals something made from the earth, not knowing that “the day of the Lord will come like a thief” (I Thess. 5:2). The Western tradition that Lazarus was an active missionary in Provence and became Bishop of Marseille dates back to the 12th century.
DEATH OF THE SAINT: After his second death, which occurred on October 16, according to the Codex Kausocalivia, Saint Lazarus was buried in a marble tomb, which, according to the Synaxarium of Constantinople, had the inscription: Lazarus of the four days and friend of Christ.” In the Codex Kavsokalyvia, under October 16, it is accordingly reported that it is necessary to especially celebrate such a great saint, since he was resurrected by the Lord (just like the placing of the finger of the Apostle Thomas in the side of Christ), since they are not simply feasts of saints, but feasts of the Lord. October 16 is also associated with the memory of the discovery of his venerable relics, which occurred during the reign of Emperor Leo VI the Wise, in 890 AD. This event is celebrated on October 17. The resurrection of Lazarus is celebrated as “Lazarus Saturday.” With extraordinary zeal and love, he ruled the holy Church of Cyprus until the end of his earthly life.

Troparion: The general resurrection before your passion, I assure you that you raised Lazarus from the dead, O Christ our God. In the same way, we, as the youths of victory bearing the sign, cry out to You as the conqueror of death. Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

Church of Saint Lazarus in Larnaca in Cyprus

After his resurrection, Lazarus lived another 30 years. He was a bishop in Cyprus and preached Christianity.

After his death, the relics of Bishop Lazarus were placed in a Marble Ark, on which was written: “Lazarus of the Four Days, friend of Christ.” In the 9th century, the Byzantine emperor Leo the Wise ordered the relics of Lazarus to be transferred to Constantinople. And in the city of Kition (now Larnaca) a temple was built in honor of Christ’s friend Lazarus.

The church was built on the very tomb of the saint. This temple is a place of pilgrimage for believers.

The temple was built around 890. The English consul in Syria, Alexander Drumond, who visited Cyprus in 1745, wrote with admiration about the Church of Lazarus: “I have never seen anything like it!”

The iconostasis of the church is considered an example of the most skillful wood carving. The temple houses several ancient Byzantine icons. Directly below the iconostasis there is a small church carved into the rock - steps lead there from the right side of the iconostasis. It contains two sarcophagi. Lazarus was once buried in one of them.

Around the temple there are still several buildings of the monastery that existed here many years ago. One of them now houses a museum. A small cemetery with stunningly beautiful carved stone sarcophagi has also been preserved on the territory of the church.

The ringing of the bells of the Church of St. Lazarus can be heard in all corners of Larnaca. The life of the townspeople is closely connected with this temple: children are baptized here, weddings take place, and a huge number of believers gather here for Sunday and holiday services.

The first Christian archbishop, and after his death, the heavenly patron of the city, was Lazarus, resurrected by Christ. The most famous tomb in Larnaca is the tomb of St. Lazarus. She is in Church of St. Lazarus, which was built around 900. The Church of St. Lazarus and his tomb can be seen in the city center.

Righteous Lazarus. The resurrection in Bethany, in a small village southeast of Jerusalem, of the righteous Lazarus, brother of Martha and Mary, whom the Lord himself called his friend, greatly outraged the Jews. Being exposed mortal danger, after the murder of the holy protomartyr Stephen, Saint Lazarus was taken to the sea coast, put in a boat without oars and removed from the borders of Judea. By divine will, Saint Lazarus, together with the Lord’s disciple Maximin and Saint Celidonius, a blind man healed by the Lord, sailed to the shores of Cyprus. Having been thirty years old before his resurrection, he lived on the island for more than thirty years. Here Saint Lazarus met the holy apostles Paul and Barnabas. They elevated him to the position of bishop of the city of Kitia (Kition, called Hetim by the Jews). The ruins of the ancient city of Kition were discovered during archaeological excavations and are available for inspection.

The following legend is associated with the name of the righteous Lazarus. Arriving on the island on a hot summer day, and walking around the outskirts of Kition in search of shelter, righteous Lazarus wanted to quench his thirst. Not finding a source nearby, he asked a bunch of grapes from a woman working near his house. She refused the saint his modest request, citing crop failure and drought. When leaving, righteous Lazarus said: “So, as punishment for your lies, let the vineyard dry up and turn into a salt lake.” Since then, five kilometers west of Larnaca, Cypriots have shown the Salt Lake to pilgrims and tourists and are famous for their hospitality. From December to March, hundreds of white and pink flamingos spend the winter here. From the road leading to the city and the airport there is a magnificent view of the mountains reflected in the lake, dominated by the peak of the Holy Cross with the Stavrovouni monastery.

Righteous Lazarus really wanted to meet the Mother of God, but due to persecution he could not leave the island. Having received a message from the Most Holy Theotokos and sent a ship for Her from Kition, he awaited Her arrival. Having left Palestine, Holy Mother of God accompanied by the Apostle John the Theologian and other companions, went on a journey through Mediterranean Sea. In “Tales of the Earthly Life of the Most Holy Theotokos,” published by the Russian Panteleimon Monastery on Athos, further events are described as follows: “There was already a little way left to Cyprus, when suddenly a strong contrary wind blew, and the shipmen, with all their efforts and skill, could not cope with The wind, strong, turned into a storm; and the ship, not listening to the earthly helmsman, surrendered to the direction of the finger of God and rushed away from Cyprus into the Aegean Sea, it quickly rushed between the numerous islands of the archipelago and, without damage or the slightest loss. , landed on the shores of Mount Athos." By the will of God, the Ever-Virgin Herself laid the foundation for monastic life on the Holy Mountain. Returning to Jerusalem, the Mother of God visited Cyprus, blessed the local Church created by the apostles and handed over to Saint Lazarus the bishop's omophorion sewn by her hands.

After his death, righteous Lazarus was buried in the vicinity of Kition, in a place that later received the name “Larnax” - “coffin, sarcophagus”. On the marble tomb of the saint there was an inscription: “Four-day Lazarus, friend of Christ.”

According to legend, it was found at the burial place of St. Lazarus in 392. Cyprus icon of the Mother of God. On it, the Most Holy Theotokos is depicted sitting on a throne with the Infant God, and on either side stand two angels with branches in their hands. The celebration of the icon takes place on May 3/April 20 (Old Art.). Copies of the icon were distributed to many countries. In Russia, the Cypriot image of the Virgin Mary is known, kept in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral. In the village of Stromyn, Moscow region, on July 22/9 (old style) and on the 1st Sunday of Great Lent, a celebration of the miraculous Cypriot icon is celebrated.

The relics of righteous Lazarus were found in 898, under the Byzantine Emperor Leo IV the Wise (886-911) and transferred to the city of Constantinople, where a silver shrine was built for them, and earlier a temple was built in honor of the saint under Emperor Basil I the Macedonian (867- 886). On the day of the transfer of the holy relics of the saint from Cyprus to Constantinople, October 30/17 (O.S.), his memory is celebrated. Later, the Frankish crusaders took the relics to the Mediterranean port city of Marseille.

A stone temple was built in honor of the righteous Lazarus over the tomb of St. Lazarus in Cyprus in the 9th century. At the beginning of the 1970s (namely in 1972), during restoration work in the temple, stone tombs were discovered under the altar, in one of which part of the relics of St. Lazarus was found. A silver-gilded ark in the form of a bishop's miter was specially made for them and a carved gilded shrine (tomb) was built, with a canopy and a small Byzantine dome topped with a cross. The relics of Saint Lazarus are constantly displayed for public veneration in the center of the temple near the southern column. Along a specially constructed passage at the base of the temple, the entrance to which is located in the southern part of the sole, pilgrims descend several steps into a low, semi-dark sub-part, covered with a modern concrete vault. At the eastern wall, at the entrance to this underground room, there is a holy spring enclosed in a pipe. There are rectangular stone tombs with heavy lids dating back to the Roman period. There is a custom to bring wax-cast figures of people and body parts to the tomb and to the icon of St. Lazarus in the temple, in gratitude for the healing, and they stand in abundance in this place. The candle workshop is located on the next street, a few tens of meters, northeast of the Temple of Lazarus. It produces wax figurines and various candles. Among them, huge holiday candles stand out, more than a meter high and several centimeters in diameter.

The temple in honor of righteous Lazarus, built of massive stone blocks, was rebuilt several times, but basically retained the three-nave basilica of the 9th century. The outside of the temple has undergone some changes over its centuries-old history. The three domes that crowned the temple have been completely dismantled. A large open gallery is attached to it from the south. There is a high, four-tiered bell tower near the southeastern wall. What especially stands out in the decoration of the temple is the multi-tiered carved wooden iconostasis, installed in the 18th century. On the northern pillar in the center of the temple hangs an icon of the Mother of God “Hodegetria” in a frame, painted in the 18th century in Russia. From the south and west, the temple of Lazarus is surrounded by two-story buildings. Part of the western building is occupied by a small church-archaeological museum telling about the history of the temple. Its exhibition includes ancient icons of the righteous Lazarus and other saints, church vestments and utensils. A rare image of St. Lazarus, painted in the 12th century, is also kept here. On the icon he is depicted in bishop's vestments. On another ancient icon, badly damaged by a fire, the image of St. Lazarus was miraculously preserved. Right hand he blesses (the emperor), and holds the Gospel in his left. The rector of the temple is Archimandrite Lazar.

Also, special attention should be paid to the iconostasis, consisting of 120 icons, which is a wonderful example of ancient wood carving. The most valuable icon is considered to be one dating back to 1734, in which Saint Lazarus is depicted in the rank of Bishop of Kition. In addition, the church houses a small museum containing magnificent Byzantine religious art, including ancient wood carvings, icons and church utensils. And next to the cathedral there are burial places of a number of Europeans who lived in the city in the 17th and 18th centuries. Saint Lazarus himself is considered the patron saint of Larnaca, and the celebration of his Resurrection takes place in the city on a grand scale. This happens a week before Orthodox Easter.

On this day we celebrate the resurrection of the holy righteous Lazarus of the Four Days, a friend of Christ. He was a Jew by birth, a Pharisee by religion, the son of the Pharisee Simon, as they say somewhere, from Bethany. When our Lord Jesus Christ made His earthly journey for the salvation of the human race, Lazarus became His friend in this way. Since Christ often talked with Simon, for he also hoped for the resurrection of the dead, and came to their house many times, Lazarus, together with his two sisters, Martha and Mary, fell in love with Him as if they were his own.

The saving Passion of Christ was approaching, when it was time for the mystery of the resurrection to be revealed with certainty. Jesus stayed beyond the Jordan, having first raised the daughter of Jairus and the son of a widow (of Nain) from the dead. His friend Lazarus, having become seriously ill, died. Jesus, although he was not there, says to the disciples: Lazarus, our friend, fell asleep, and after a while he said again: Lazarus is dead (John 11: 11, 14). Called by his sisters, Jesus, leaving the Jordan, came to Bethany. Bethany was near Jerusalem, fifteen stages away (John 11:18). And Lazarus’ sisters met Him, saying: “Lord! if You had been here, our brother would not have died. But even now, if You please, You will raise it up, for you can do everything” (cf. John 11:21-22). Jesus asked the Jews, “Where have you laid it?” (John 11:34). Then everyone went to the tomb. When they wanted to roll away the stone, Martha said: Lord! already stinks; for he has been in the tomb for four days (John 11:39). Jesus, having prayed and shed tears over the one lying down, cried out in a loud voice: Lazarus! get out (John 11:43). And immediately the deceased came out, they untied him, and he went home.

translation of “Orthodox Apologist” 2013

Lazarus, in Hebrew Eliezar (God's help) - the name of two persons mentioned in the Gospel: a) (Luke XVI, 19-31) - the name of a beggar, so called by the Lord in His highly edifying parable of the rich man and Lazarus, which depicts the afterlife fate of the righteous and sinners. In hell, being in torment (the rich man), he raised his eyes and saw Abraham in the distance, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said: child! remember that you have already received your good in your life, but Lazarus received your evil; now he is consoled here, and you suffer. The name Lazarus is still heard in the names infirmary (a hospital primarily for the poor), and in the Italian word lazzaroni, otherwise beggars; b) (John XI, 1, 2, 5, etc.) - the brother of Martha and Mary, who lived with by his sisters at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Bethany, whom the Lord raised from the dead on the fourth day after his death. This, without a doubt, was one of the greatest miracles performed by the Lord our Savior, since it confirmed His complete power and power over the grave and death, a power that a few days later was fully manifested in His own resurrection from the dead. At this wonderful and undeniable manifestation of Divine power and authority, the Jews became so enraged that they decided to kill not only Jesus, but also Lazarus, who was resurrected by Him, since as a result of this miracle many believed in the Lord. The Gospel account of this great event is deeply moving. Perhaps on no occasion were the love, goodness, greatness and omnipotence of the Lord manifested in such bright light and power in the state of His earthly humiliation, as during the miracle of the resurrection of the four-day-old Lazarus. The situation in which the said miracle took place is reproduced by the evangelist with such wonderful and majestic simplicity that it involuntarily brings into a state of deep reverence and tenderness everyone who reads this gospel narrative (see. Marfa And Maria). Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters, says the evangelist, and this gospel expression alone makes it clear that the Bethany family, as they are usually called, was worthy of the special love of the Lord, and now, as proof of His high love, the Son of God shed tears at the grave deceased, and called him back to life from the dead. Tradition says that Lazarus, after his resurrection, remained alive for another 30 years (Epiph. Haer. 66, 34) and was a bishop on Fr. Cyprus, where he died. His relics were transferred from Cyprus to Constantinople in the 9th century under Leo the Wise. The memory is celebrated by the Church on October 17.

Definitions, meanings of words in other dictionaries:

Brockhaus Biblical Encyclopedia

Lazarus (Greek f-ma from Hebrew Eleazar, “God helped”): 1) the beggar from the parable told by Jesus (Luke 16:19-31) The sick man, covered with sores, lay in front of the gate of the house in which the rich man lived, and wanted only one thing - to satisfy his hunger with scraps from his table. After death, L was carried by the angels to see...

Who was Lazarus, whom Christ called a friend? How his fate turned out after the resurrection and why Jesus did this, how this day should be celebrated, what to do and what not to do - let's remember or find out all this if we didn't know before.

STORY OF LAZARUS

The life and story of the righteous Lazarus is remarkable in many ways. In particular, the only mention that Christ wept is associated with his name. But somehow the further fate of the resurrected man and the understanding of why he was given the opportunity to die twice remain in the shadows.

Lazarus was a resident of Bethany, a place near Jerusalem. He and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, were often visited by Christ. Shortly before Easter, Lazarus fell ill; Christ was far away at that time. Lazarus’ sisters sent Jesus sad news: “Lord! The one you love is sick.” To this Christ answered mysteriously: “This disease is not for death, but for the glory of God.”

Photo: Vladimir Vdovin / RIA Novosti

But Christ came to Bethany only when Lazarus had already reposed. The first to meet him was the inconsolable Martha. She turned to him with the words: “Lord! If You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know: whatever you ask God will give you.” The Savior answered her strangely: “Your brother will rise again.” And when Mary and other grieving relatives of Lazarus appeared before him, Jesus shed tears and asked where Lazarus was buried. Together with everyone else, he approached the cave in which the body of Lazarus rested, and ordered the stone to be removed from the entrance. Martha noticed that her brother had died four days ago and noticed the smell of bodily decay. However, Christ prayed and at the end of it said loudly: “Lazarus, get out!”

It is difficult to imagine what the people who gathered at the burial site experienced, since, as St. Amphilochius of Iconium wrote, “with their own ears they heard the call to the dead man to rise, with their own eyes they saw his first steps after the resurrection, with their own hands they untied the burial shrouds, making sure that this was not a ghost "

Many, seeing this miracle, believed in Christ. Many, but not all. Christ foresaw this too. Through the mouth of Abraham, in the parable of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus, he says: if they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, then even if someone were raised from the dead, they will not believe... And so it was: the Pharisees, who saw this miracle with their own eyes, out of fear of the power of Christ It was from that day that they began to plot how to kill him.

LIFE AFTER THE RESURRECTION

Thus, by raising Lazarus, Christ showed the power of God and proved the possibility of Salvation and Resurrection.

The events that followed were tragic. The next day Jesus entered Jerusalem, the city that had received him as King, but then subjected him to torture and martyrdom. But after the miraculous return of Lazarus to life, a week will pass, and the main miracle of the world will happen - the resurrection of Christ.

And then a little more time will pass, and the righteous Lazarus will leave Judea, fleeing persecution. He found refuge in Cyprus in 33 AD, and soon became bishop of Kition (Larnaca) there.

Photo: Sergey Pyatakov / RIA Novosti

Until his last day, Lazarus was faithful to the faith of Christ and preached it. He died thirty years after his first death and amazing resurrection, and completed his life path in the same Cyprus. Lazarus was 63 years old.

The discovery of the relics of Lazarus took place in 890. On the marble shrine was written “Lazarus the Fourth Day, Friend of Christ.” Eight years later, Emperor Leo the Wise ordered the relics of Lazarus to be transferred to Constantinople. By the beginning of the 10th century, the Church of St. Lazarus was erected over his grave in Larnaca. And less than half a century ago, in 1972, during excavations in the church a marble shrine with human remains was discovered. They were identified as the relics of Saint Lazarus: apparently, under Leo the Wise, the remains of the saint were not completely transported.

Today, the first grave of Lazarus - the place where his Resurrection took place - is owned by Muslims, who also treat this place as a shrine. Not far from this place there are two churches - Catholic and Orthodox. Bethany, where Lazarus and his sisters once lived, also changed its name - at one time it was called Lazarion, and later became El-Azaria.

CULTUROLOGICAL TRAIL

The name of Saint Lazarus means a lot to believers and is commemorated with great respect on Saturday of the sixth week of Great Lent and on October 30, in honor of the transfer of the relics. In Orthodoxy he is remembered as the Bishop of Kitia, and Catholic Church remembers him on December 17, considering him the first bishop of Marseille. Lazarus Saturday is sometimes called “Little Easter.”

In world culture, the story of Lazarus has been interpreted more than once by artists and sculptors. The resurrection of righteous Lazarus is one of the earliest images that generally appeared in Christian fine art. This plot is present even in the paintings of the catacombs and reliefs of sarcophagi! Since the story of the Raising of Lazarus points to a future general resurrection, this motif was generally often used in burial places.

FOLK TRADITIONS

Lazarus Saturday is a big event, and over time a lot of traditions have arisen related to the celebration of this day.

In the evening on Lazarus Saturday, it is customary to bless willow branches. The sign says that if many buds bloom on the willow on Lazarus Saturday, then the year will be fruitful.

In the old days, songs were sung on Lazarus Saturday, especially young people who received edible gifts in gratitude. Today this tradition is preserved only in a small number of villages.
In the West, the tradition of celebrating Lazarus Saturday has also been preserved: in Bulgaria, for example, girls sing “Lazar” songs, and on this day the Greeks bake “lazarakia” (“lazarchiki”) - cookies made from spicy sweet dough.

WHAT TO SERVE

There are also rules regarding the table that can be set on this day. Of course, there are no big feasts - Lent continues, strict Holy Week is on the threshold, so in general this is a day of bright anticipation for the imminent miracle of Easter. But from ancient times they also served buckwheat Lenten pancakes, baked from buckwheat flour, but without eggs and without milk, porridge, and Lenten fish pie kurnik. Caviar is also allowed - you can make sandwiches from lean bread with it.