Saturday of Lazarus in Larnaca
Easter is approaching, and Cyprus has entered into a holiday mood as the flowers begin to bloom and the island’s communities prepare dishes, churches, and themselves for the holiday.
Holy Week for Orthodox Christians begins on Palm Sunday, which will be on April 21, but the day before is a feast day that is honoured by all and it is the Saturday of Lazarus.
Saint Lazarus was a man that was resurrected by Christ and later came to Cyprus, where he was ordained the bishop of Kition, what is now Larnaca. He is said to have been buried, where the church of Saint Lazarus, now stands in the city’s centre.
The story says that Christ had arrived in Bethany four days after the funeral of his friend Lazarus to comfort his sisters Martha and Maria. They visited the tomb of Lazarus, where Christ wept for his friend, and asked for the tombstone to be removed. After the tombstone was removed, Christ is said to have looked to the heavens and called for Lazarus to come out of the tomb. According to the bible, Lazarus walked out of the tomb, wrapped in the sheet he was buried.
The saint is said to have lived another 30 years in Cyprus, and on his feast day, the city honours their patron saint.
A service will be held in the morning to honour the saint, and his icon is then taken out of the church and marched through the city centre’s streets. Roads are closed in the centre from noon until 10pm, when the feast day will finish in Saint Lazarus’ Church square.
During the services, choirs will chant the hymns of the Saint.
