On the day of Lazarus Saturday, Christians remember the miracle of Christ's resurrection of the righteous Lazarus, which was performed to certify the future resurrection of all the dead. In 2022, Lazarev Saturday will be held 16 april.
Lazarev Saturday (Resurrection of the righteous Lazarus) is a solemn holiday celebrated on Saturday of the sixth week of Great Lent. The holiday is mobile, i.e. depends on the date of Easter. On this day, the Church commemorates the miracle of Christ's resurrection of the righteous Lazarus four days after death (John 11: 1-45). Lazarev Saturday precedes the feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem. In the church calendar, Lazarev Saturday and the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) are celebrated on neighboring days: Saturday and Sunday. It is interesting that the liturgical time does not coincide with the historical one: the resurrection of Lazarus took place a month or two before the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem.
Now these two holidays are inextricably linked. They precede the events of Holy Week: the betrayal of Christ by Judas, suffering, crucifixion and Resurrection of the Savior.
Historical content
From La-za-re-howl sub-bo-you church-songs-no-sing-na-chi-na-yut ve-sti ve-ru-yu-shih on the sto-memory of the State Yes. The time of His earthly life was less than a week. The hour of ve-li-to-go Ex-ho-da bl-zok. "The common re-creation of your former passions, believing, from the dead motions you are La-zarya, Christ the God …", - we sew the singing of the holiday-nich-no-go tro-pa-rya.
"The resurrection of La-zarya - next-to-ve-whether-something-chu-to Christ-hundred, the last from-shine of His glory before-before-whose country -stay. Evangelist-list John iso-brazha-et this event as an eye-see-dets, with a-great, almost axis-for-e-my to-hundred -ver-but-stew. You see, bek-val-but every stroke: the ro-boity of the students, their number-ba-niya and, finally, the decision to go-to-meet chu danger-no-sti. Jesus with eyes, full of tears, at the grave; the sisters, who were given a grief; embarrassment of Mar-fa, from-the-val-ny stone and the imperious call, heard in other worlds: "Come out, La-dawn!" A silent figure in sa-wan on a po-ro-ge skle-pa … The One Who Soon Himself will have to go through the gates of death, la-et Se-ba her in-be-di-te-lem. "
Christ-an-a-bo-go-word ras-smat-ri-va-e is chu-do as a visible symbol of the power of Christ over life and death, as reassurance of the disciples in their resurrection and the future resurrection of the dead.
Fasting on Lazarev Saturday
On Lazarev Saturday, fish caviar, vegetable oil and wine are allowed.
In Russia, on Lazarev Saturday, the hostesses cooked mash, baked buckwheat pancakes, cooked porridge and fish chicken. All this was eaten on Palm Sunday, because in honor of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem in strict Great Lent, an afterbirth was done - one could eat fish.
Lazarus Saturday traditions
The traditions of celebrating Lazare's Sabbath and the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem were closely intertwined in Russia. In the evening of this day, on the eve of Palm Sunday, as on the very day of the Feast of the Lord's Entry into Jerusalem, people brought and are now bringing willow twigs to the temple. The priest performed the rite of consecrating the willows at the evening service - the All-Night Vigil of the Feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.
In the Slavic countries, the pussy willow became a symbol of the holiday in imitation of Christ's contemporaries, who covered his road to Jerusalem with palm branches: many people followed Christ to the capital of Israel. People were struck by the miracle with Lazarus and showed incredible honors to the Savior. When he rode a donkey into the Jerusalem Gate, everyone around exclaimed: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord, King of Israel! " And they threw palm branches at His feet - a royal symbol.
In Russia and in other Slavic countries, palm branches were replaced by willows as a symbol of the holiday. The willow is one of the first trees to bloom in spring.Fluffy twigs symbolized the awakening of nature after a long winter, the resurrection of all living things for flowering and fruiting. The first mention of this tradition can be found in the Izbornik Svyatoslav of the beginning of the 11th century. This is the third most ancient Russian manuscript book after the Ostromir Gospel and the Novgorod Codex.
In the villages on Lazarev Saturday they broke willows. The townspeople also went to break the willow - to the banks of nearby rivers. In Moscow, for example, in Kitay-gorod and on the banks of the Neglinka, densely overgrown with willows and willows.
Lazarev Saturday at other nations
In the homeland of righteous Lazarus, in Cyprus, in ancient times there was a tradition: on Lazarev Saturday, a procession of children with palm branches in their hands went around the houses of the inhabitants of the city. The procession was led by a boy adorned with red poppies and yellow daisies. The boy represented Lazarus. At the same time, the children sang Lazorev's song. In the temples during the ceremony, the Resurrection of Lazarus was depicted, clergymen and children took part in the action.
Read also:
- Annunciation in 2022
- Trinity in 2022
- Nikola Letny in 2022
