The Raising of Lazarus & Orthodox Easter
'Lazarus Saturday,' Immaculate Mary, & Why Easter is on a Different Day for Orthodox Christians
The Raising of Lazarus & the Resurrection
Perhaps a week before the Resurrection, Jesus snatched Lazarus from the realm of the dead in Hades. His friend had been dead for four days which was significant. Some Jews thought the soul may still linger near the body for 3 days before finally departing. This idea also lived on in Christian circles as attested by the desert father, St. Macarius of Egypt.
For Eastern Christians, the raising of Lazarus or ‘Lazarus Saturday’ is celebrated the day before Palm Sunday and a week before Easter, because this event foreshadows Christ’s coming resurrection. It was also the moment when the temple authorities truly turned on Jesus. The Gospel of John records:
“45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did [the raising of Lazarus], believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what he had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place[h] and our nation.”… 53 So from that day on they planned to put him to death. 54 Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews, but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples” (John 11:45-54).
The ‘Lazarus event’ shook up the status quo. The temple authorities were worried that Rome would use this social unrest to their advantage, and so they began to plot Christ’s death so they could stay in control. Many of us who grew up in Church are aware of these details.
However, we rarely reflect on how the ‘Lazarus event’ caused social unrest in the underworld. Satan and his demons just heard an authoritative voice come from above that led this man, Lazarus, to leave their domain! Who was this Prophet that could raise the dead even four days later after death?
Jesus had snatched Lazarus from their grip, and he was about to liberate Adam and Eve along with Abraham, King David, and all of those who were awaiting the coming of the ‘Chosen One' of Israel.
[Recall that the Old Testament patriarchs, prophets, and saints were held back from Heaven in the realm of shadows or Sheol, also called Hades, before the coming of Christ. You can read more about the Biblical background here. We must also remember that the abode of the saints in Hades was not a realm of torment or specific punishments, but rather was a place of refreshment and waiting. The Book of 1 Enoch, a Jewish work composed near the time of Jesus (sometime between the 3rd to 1st century BC), depicts the saintly abode or cave in Hades as being filled with light and a refreshing spring; “ the spirits of the righteous, in which there is the bright spring of water” 1 Enoch 22:9). In the New Testament, this place was referred to as ‘Abraham’s Bosom.’ ]
What Happened to Lazarus? Did He Die Twice?!
Sacred history states that when Lazarus was raised from the dead that he eventually fled Jerusalem and became the bishop of Kition in Cyprus. Recall that “the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death” (John 12:10-11), and it seems that their schemes did not change after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Lazarus was a living witness of Christ’s own power over death, and he likely even remembered his own time in Hades before being liberated. If they could eliminate Lazarus, they could eliminate this very powerful story!
But eventually, Lazarus did die and was laid to rest in Cyprus, which means that he died twice! His relics were eventually translated (moved) to Constantinople in the year 898, which is still celebrated in the Eastern liturgy every October 17th.
Although Lazarus was resurrected by Christ, he did not receive an immortal, glorified body like Christ. Why? Well, it would have been unfitting for him to receive such a body before Christ’s own resurrection. Secondly, God is going to raise and glorify the bodies of saints at the end of time when Christ returns to our world. He generally does not do this at the moment of death, which is why we have their relics or sacred remains. Although their holy souls are currently with Christ and the angels in Heaven, they are still waiting to experience the resurrection of the dead with the rest of us (See 1 Corinthians 15). What a joyous day that will be!
Immaculate Mary, (Panagia, Theotokos)
The only exception to this rule seems to be the holy and ever-virgin Mary since her body and soul were received into Heaven at her dormition (assumption), which may have take place a decade after her Son’s resurrection. Summarizing the reflections of St. Gregory Palamas on Mary, Vladimir Lossky writes, “Finding herself beyond the resurrection and the judgment… she has crossed the frontier which separates us from the age to come… Thus having attained to the limits of becoming, she necessarily watches over the destinies of the Church and of the universe, sill unfolding in time” (Pgs. 193-195; The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church).
In other words, Mary is already experiencing the future with a glorified and resurrected body with her Son, and they are inviting us all to join them into this future. While Lazarus and all of the saints await the resurrection of their bodies, Christ has already glorified Mary’s body, because she was His dwelling place (Theotokos, God-bearer) and temple upon the earth.
Dating Easter?
Most Christians in the Holy Land, Egypt/Ethiopia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe (Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Ukraine and Russia) will celebrate Pascha (Easter) this Sunday, May 5th. Sometimes, the Eastern and Western Easters are only a week or two apart, but this year, it is much later (the West celebrated Easter on March 31st). Next year in 2025, Easter will actually fall on the same Sunday for the East & West, which is a wonderful blessing! Many are hoping that we can reunite our celebration of Easter like we once had since ancient times.
When did the East & West separate on this issue? In the 16th century, the Pope approved a new, recalculated date for Easter and the entire calendar in the year 1582 AD for astronomical reasons. At first, only Catholic countries followed the new Gregorian calendar, but eventually other Protestant countries in the West followed suit. England did not adopt the calendar until 200 years later in 1752 AD. Orthodox countries never adopted the new date for Easter and simply kept the ancient calculation that was agreed upon by all Christians at Nicaea I in 325 AD, the first ecumenical council. My Eastern Catholic friend, Michael Warren Davis,
wrote a whole article on this a few months ago, which is really a helpful, historical summary.
To conclude, I hope everyone has a blessed Pascha this coming Sunday! For those who have already celebrated a few weeks ago, please keep us in your hearts and prayers, and let us all pray for a reunited date for all Christians once again.
Be entirely His,
Kyle
On a side note, I recently posted a video on the theology and history behind the ancient practice of infant communion. If this interests you, take a look!
Thanks Kyle for this thoughtful and well written piece. As always, you share your knowledge of the Christian Faith and passion for sharing and spreading it with all of us. Please keep up the good work and know that your work is so valuable to so many,