In the Orthodox Christian tradition, on the eve of the Feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem, the Church decided to solemnly celebrate Lazarev Saturday. This special day is a remembrance of one of the most amazing miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The holiday of Lazarev Saturday is named in honor of the amazing miracle of the resurrection of the righteous Lazarus by Jesus Christ. The Christian tradition calls Lazarus the four-day one, since the very fact of the resurrection of the righteous took place on the fourth day after his death.
Holy Scripture tells that Lazarus was the brother of Martha and Mary. It is known from the Gospel that this family was dear to the Lord.
The evangelist John the Theologian tells about the event of the resurrection of Lazarus. In particular, from the description of the narrative about this event, it is known that Lazarus died in Bethany at the time when Christ himself was in Perea. Even during the illness of Lazarus, the sisters sent their brother to the Lord with the news of the illness. However, Christ did not hurry to arrive at Bethany, staying in Perea for two days.
Christ himself told his disciples that this illness would show the great glory of God. After several days, Christ ascertained the death of Lazarus as a dream and went to Bethany to perform the miracle of the resurrection. Theologians believe that Christ delayed the healing of the sick in order to show the world a miracle even more amazing than the healing of an illness.
On the way to Bethany, Martha met Christ. The righteous woman spoke with tears that if Christ had come earlier, then Lazarus would not have died. However, Christ announced to his sister about the resurrection of her brother. Following Martha, Mary met Christ, who was also in deep sorrow.
When Christ approached the cave in which Lazarus was buried, the Savior commanded to roll away the stone from the entrance to the burial place. Martha said that the body of Lazarus had already begun to decompose, because her brother had already been in the tomb for the fourth day. After that, Christ offered up a prayer to God the Father as a sign that the miracle he performed was not the result of communion with demonic power (as many scribes and Pharisees believed). After the prayer, Christ turned to Lazarus: "Lazarus! Get out." After these words, Lazarus was miraculously resurrected. This is how one of the most amazing miracles performed by the Savior during his earthly life happened.
Orthodox tradition says that after the resurrection, Lazarus was forced to leave Palestine, as the Pharisees wanted to kill him, because the friend of Christ was a real testimony to the amazing miracle of the resurrection. Lazarus went to the island of Crete, where in 45 AD he was ordained bishop of Kition by the apostles Paul and Barnabas.
In 890, the relics of the righteous Lazarus were found in Kitia (the modern city of Larnaca). Nine years later, the relics of one of the first bishops of the Church were transferred to Constantinople.
At present, in the Orthodox Church, the memory of the holy righteous Lazarus of the four days is celebrated twice - on Saturday of the sixth week of Great Lent (Lazarev Saturday) and on October 30 (celebrations in honor of the transfer of the relics of the saint to Constantinople).
