Lazarus Saturday 1 day before Palm Sunday

The Gospel of John records that “Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. » Presumably, this is where he spent the Great Sabbath which occurs immediately before Passover, before his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Jesus is reported to have stayed there during Holy Week, and it was there that his anointing by Lazarus' sister Mary took place a few days later on Holy Wednesday.

Over the course of the preceding week, the Lenten Triod proper follows the illness and then death of Lazarus, and Christ's journey from beyond the Jordan to Bethany. This week is called “palm week” or “flower week”.

Having completed the forty days which benefit our soul, we implore you in your love for man: grant us also to see the holy week of your passion, so that we can glorify in it your mighty deeds and your ineffable dispensation for us, singing with one spirit: O Lord, glory to You.

During Friday Vespers, the reading from Genesis (which began on the first day of Great Lent) concludes with the description of Jacob's death, burial and mourning (Genesis 49:33-50:26). and on Friday evening, at Compline, a Canon on the resurrection of Lazarus by Saint Andrew of Crete is sung; this is a rare complete canon, having all nine canticles.

Today's scripture readings and hymns focus on the resurrection of Lazarus as a foreshadowing of the resurrection of Christ and a foreshadowing of the general resurrection. The Gospel story is interpreted in the hymns as illustrating the two natures of Christ: his humanity by asking: 

“Where did you put it?” (John 11:34), and his divinity in commanding Lazarus to rise from the dead (John 11:43). A number of hymns, written in the first or second person, symbolically connect the death, entombment, and burial bonds of Lazarus with the sinful state of the individual. Many resurrection hymns from the normal Sunday service are sung while prayers for the departed, prescribed on Sunday, are permitted. 

During the divine liturgy, the baptismal hymn, "As many as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Romans 6:3) replaces the Trisagion indicating that this had been a day when baptisms were performed[4] and In some churches today, adult converts are still baptized on this day.

Although the forty days of Great Lent end on Lazarus Friday, this day is still observed as a fast day; however, the fast is lessened to allow the consumption of caviar, the eggs being a symbol of the resurrection and prominent on Easter, and the fish eggs being a shadow of it show the resurrection of Lazarus as a foreshadowing of the resurrection of Christ, as explained in the day's own.

Lazarus Saturday is the day when traditionally hermits left their desert retreats to return to the monastery for Holy Week services. In many places in the Russian Church, church vestments and hangings on this day and Palm Sunday are green, indicating the renewal of life. In the church Greek, it is customary on Lazarus Saturday to weave elaborate crosses from palm leaves to be used on Palm Sunday.