Lazarus Saturday-Palm Sunday

Today we celebrate the Saturday of Lazarus. Tomorrow it is Palm Sunday.

According to an ancient tradition, Lazarus was thirty years old when the Lord raised him; then he lived another thirty years on Cyprus and there reposed in the Lord. It is furthermore related that after he was raised from the dead, he never laughed till the end of his life, but that once only, when he saw someone stealing a clay vessel, he smiled and said, "Clay stealing clay."

His grave is situated in the city of Kition, having the inscription: "Lazarus the four days dead and friend of Christ." In 890 his sacred relics were transferred to Constantinople by Emperor Leo the Wise, at which time undoubtedly the Emperor composed his stichera for Vespers, "Wishing to behold the tomb of Lazarus . . ."

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion, You confirmed the universal resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with palms of victory, We cry out to You, O Vanquisher of Death; Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord!

There are quite a few costums related to this day. My father-in-law remembers singing the Lazarus carols when he was a child. They go like this: "Lazarus came, the Palms came, tis the Sunday we eat fish..." (Animal products aren't allowed during the fasting of the great Lent, but one eats fish on Palm Sunday).

In other parts of Greece , it is young girls whose parents are alive, that sing the carols; they are called Lazarines. They go knocking on the doors and sing: "Wake up, Lazarus, do not be asleep, this is the day of your joy...". This is followed by dance in the village square.