Lazarus the Friend of Jesus and Brother of Martha & Mary
Image: Catholic Online@Facebook
(EWTN) Legends abound about the life of Lazarus, after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Lazarus is supposed to have left a written account in what he saw in the next world before he was called back to life.
Some report that Lazarus followed Peter into Syria, another story is that despite being put into a leaking boat by the Jews at Jaffa, Lazarus, his sisters and other landed safely in Cyprus and there he died peacefully after serving as a Bishop for 30 years. A Church was built in Lazarus’ honor in Constantinople and some of his reputed relics were transferred there in 890
A Western legend has the oarless boat arriving in Gaul (Western Europe–present day France) there Lazarus is said to have been the first Bishop of France Marseilles and was martyred after converting a number of people and was buried in a cave, with his relics being transferred to the new Autun Cathedral (in France) in 1146
It is certain there was an early devotion to Saint Lazarus–Around the year 390 the pilgrim lady Etheria, talks of the procession that took place on the Saturday before Palm Sunday at the tomb where Lazarus had been raised from the dead.
In the West, ‘Passion Sunday’ was called Dominica de Lazaro and Augustine tells us that in Africa the Gospel of the raising of Lazarus was read at the office of Palm Sunday.
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