Lazarus Saturday

Lazarus Saturday

Between March 27 and April 30; Saturday before Palm Sunday

In Russia and in all Eastern Orthodox churches, the Saturday before Palm Sunday (or Willow Sunday) is set aside to honor Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. Pussywillows are blessed at the evening service in the Russian Orthodox Church, and the branches are distributed to the worshippers, who take them home and display them above their icons. It was an ancient folk custom for people to beat their children with willow branches—not so much to punish them as to ensure that they would grow up tall and resilient like the willow tree.
On this day in Greece, Romania, and the former Yugoslavia, one custom is for groups of children to carry willow branches from house to house and sing songs and act out the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. In return, they receive gifts of fruit and candy. They believe the resurrection of Lazarus is symbolic of the renewal of spring, which is why the Lazarouvane (the celebration of St. Lazarus's Day in Bulgaria) focuses on fertility and marriage.

CONTACTS:
Orthodox Church in America
P.O. Box 675
Syosset, NY 11791
516-922-0550; fax: 516-922-0954
www.oca.org

SOURCES:
BkFest-1937, pp. 290, 337
EncyEaster-2002, p. 343
FolkWrldHol-1999, p. 170
OxYear-1999, pp. 502, 643