Book of Ancient Saints: Volume 1

Saint Lazarus of Bethany

Lazarus was born around 1st century AD during the Roman Empire. He is the brother of Martha and Mary of Bethany. He was introduced as a follower of Jesus, who lives in the town of Bethany near Jerusalem.

According to the Gospel of John, Martha and Mary sent word to Jesus, saying, "Master, the one you love is ill." When Jesus heard this he said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha, Lazarus, and Mary. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." He said this, and then told them, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him." So the disciples said to him, "Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved." But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. So then Jesus said to them clearly, "Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him." So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go to die with him."

When they arrive in Bethany, Lazarus has been dead and buried for four days. Jesus meets with the sisters in turn: Martha followed by Mary. Jesus asked them where they laid Lazarus. They replied, "Sir, come and see." Then, after asking where he was buried, Jesus wept. After that, Jesus asks for the stone of the grave to be removed, but Martha interjects that there will be a smell. To which Jesus responds, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said: "Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me." And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice,"Lazarus, come out!" Lazarus came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go."

Six days before the Passover, Jesus returns to Bethany and Lazarus attends a supper that Martha, his sister, serves. Jesus and Lazarus together attract the attention of many Jews and the narrator states that the chief priests consider having Lazarus put to death because so many people have come to believe in Jesus on account of his raising Lazarus.

Lazarus was venerated in Roman and Eastern Catholic Church, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion Church, Lutheran Church, and Islam. His feast day is on December 17.