Lazarus’ Saturday

The Life-giving Word said: Lazarus come forth’ and the one who slept took on living breath.

And today the Lord of the Living says: ‘I am the Resurrection’, ‘whoever believes in me, though he were dead yet shall he live’.

Lazarus Saturday

Fr. Lev Gillet

Strictly speaking, Lent ends on the Friday which follows the fifth Sunday of Lent: the period of forty days is then over. The time of the Passion lasts from the end of Lent until the Resurrection, anticipated on Holy Saturday. It therefore comprises the Saturday which follows the fifth Sunday of Lent, called ‘Lazarus Saturday’, and the first six days of Holy Week.

Traditions: remembering St. Lazarus

Sylvia Leontaritis

I can remember jumping off the front porch steps in excitement as I hurried into the car to get to the church as quickly as possible to find out which group I was in. Every year the Jr. Choir of Archangel Michael Church in Campbell, Ohio would split into groups and go to all the Orthodox homes in town to sing the kalanta or carols. We did this three times a year, Christmas, St. Basil’s and Lazarus Saturday. I can remember the smiles on the faces of the people we sang for and the lingering aroma of the freshly baked cookies many of the yiayias baked and stuffed into our pockets. We’d collect money for the church in our neatly decorated coffee cans. Afterwards, we all headed to the church hall where we handed in our earnings and were spoiled with a delicious pancake breakfast. When we were finished we headed to my grandmother’s house where we would bake Lazarakia, little loaves of bread that look like St. Lazarus. We would all sing the kalanta as we folded arms across his chest, cut two legs and put cloves in for eyes. My great-grandmother would always read the story of Lazarus from the Bible, being sure to point out at the end that he went on to become the first bishop of Cyprus.

Lazarus Saturday, Resurrection, and the Faith of Children

Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. (I Corinthians 15:12-14)

But now, Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. (I Corinthians 15:20-22)