The Resurrection of Lazarus feast in the
Bulgarian Orthodox Church (The day of Lazarus / Lazarus
Saturday)
It's one day before the the great feast of
Palm Sunday . On
this day in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church we do have a reading of
the glorious miracle with the raising (resurrecting) of Lazarus,
that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ did in front of many Jewish
people.
In the gospel readings, we hear that the Lord has went nearby the
place where Lazarus has been buried.
The Jewish tradition of this time is that their dead be buried in a
small cave, while the body is being wrapped up in a specific white
clothe matter. This kind of burial ceremony is directly related to
most of the ancient Jewish beliefs about the resurrection of the
death which will take place.
In that time, Lazarus has been dead (or in grave) for already 4
days, even in the Gospel, we read that the rottening body has
started to decay and hence the rotting flesh to smell badlhy
...
The gospel also taught us, Lazarus has been a friend of our Lord
Jesus Chirst, and Christ himself loved him. Very interesting fact
concerning Lazarus earthly life is also that he has been a brother
of the sisters Mary and Martha.
Mary is actually the same Mary which we read about in the Gospel of
Luke, the same mary which bows and cries in front of Jesus's feets,
repenting and begging the saviour for a forgiveness of her
sins.
Even though our Lord has been sent a word 4 days before he came,
whether the overall journey to the place where Lazarus was at that
point was only 2 days. The Lord has come on the 4th day to Bethany
(a village near Jerusalem)
When the Lord came in Bethany he found that Lazarus is dead and has
been in the tomb for 4 days. On his arrival he met Martha and Mary
in turn.
Marta was loudly crying regretting that Christ haven't arrived
earlier otherwise he would have healed from the sickness and he
would not die..
The Lord replied to Marta's lamention with his majestic words: "I
am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me shall live,
even if he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me shall
never die".
As the gospel reading continues, we're told that Christ has been
sorrowful in himself and the Lord Jesus further said the famous
phrase:
"Jesus wept!
In the presence of a crowd of mourners (obviously many people has
loved Lazarus), the Lord did his glorious miracle of Lazarus
Resurrection.
After on the heavy stone which was sealing the cave with Lazarus
dead body was moved away by the order of the Lord.
The Lord entered in the cave prayed and said to Lazarus: "Lazarus
come forth!"
Hearing the order of the son of God and our saviour Lazarus has
risen up with the funeral clothes still wrapping his body. Jesus
instructed some people from the crowd to remove the grave-cloths
from Lazarus and let him walk.
As many people in the grave has saw the indescribable miracle the
people witnessing the miracle "believed in him".
The meaning of the Lord's "Come forth!" is crucial, as
with the
the glorious miracle of Lazarus Raising the Lord has shown his
authority over death and live.
Even the
death was submissive to the Lord's order! Even the
death couldn't go against his mighty word and silently
obeys!
This story was given by our God the Holy Trinity to clearly show us
that he is the one in charge over death and over life on earth and
hence he is the one in charge of every human being still breathing
on this earth.
On the other hand
the raising of Lazarus was done to show to us
who still doubt in our hearts and minds and disbelief about the
promised Resurrection of the Death in the glorious day of the
Lord.
Our Lord has even wept, clearly showing to us that he is not
indifferent to our suffering, but on the contrary is suffering with
our pain himself.
After Christ's Crucifixion, death, Resurrection and Ascension,
Lazarus has become a vigilant Christ disciple. He has further
compelled to seek refuge away from Jerusalem to avoid the anger of
high priests and the pharisees, who wanted to kill him.
Lazarus has leaved Judea to seek refuge in another country. He
found his refuge in Kittium (today called Larnaca) and situated in
Cyprus.
According to Orthodox Church tradtion Lazarus has been ordained to
become the first Church bishop of Kitium.
Little is known about Lazarus after Our Lord's Resurrection and
Ascension except that during his thirty year he never smiled or
joked except for one occasion. One day, he saw someone stealing a
clay pot and he laughed saying, "the clay steals the clay".
Another famous tradition connected to Lazarus is the discovery of
Mount Athos in 52AD.
Lazarus was very close to the Virgin Mary and he was very grieved
that he could not return to Jerusalem to visit her (he was still in
fear of the Jews).
The Theotokos learned of his sorrow and sent him a letter to
comfort him.
She asked that he might send a ship to her that she might visit him
in Cyprus.
With great joy, Lazarus sent a ship to the Holy Lands to bring the
Virgin Mary and John, the beloved disciple to Cyprus for a
visit.
On their journey, a great storm blew them off course and carried
them to the shores of Ephesus and then the ship to the shores of
Athos, Greece.
Unaware that divine providence had brought her to this area, the
Virgin Mary completely taken by the beauty of the area, prayed to
her son that this could be her garden devoted to prayer to "fight
the good fight of faith".
Having converted, blessed and established a new christian community
from the local idolaters they set sail for Cyprus and met with
Lazarus.
The day of Lazarus as we call it in Bulgaria is one of the great
Christian feasts in our Orthodox Church, even though it's not among
the 12 greatest Christian feasts it's one of the major feats
throughout the Church year.
The first tomb of Lazarus in Bethany remains as a site for pilgrims
to this very day. The second tomb, on the island of Cyprus, was
found in Kittium sometime in A.D. 890, with his relics inside and
bearing the inscription "Lazarus, the Friend of Christ."
The commemoration of the day the Lord Jesus has risen Lazarus from
the death is one of the few feasts during the great Lent which are
considered days of spiritual joy in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
and all other national Orthodox Churches around the world.
The feast is also known under the name Lazarus Saturday is always
commemorated in Orthodox Churches, one day before the
Palm
Sunday feast.
By the Holy prayers of Lazarus let our Lord Jesus be merciful to us
the sinners! Amen.