Celebration of the Saturday of Lazarus in the Holy Metropolis of Corfu
On Saturday morning, March 31, 2018, his Eminence, the Bishop of Corfu, Paxoi and Diapontian Islands, Mr. Nektarios did the Matin and the Divine Liturgy in the Holy Church of Saint Nikolaos de Vecchi, where there is also a part of Saint Lazarus’ holy relic.
In his speech, his Eminence mentioned to the faithful Christians that oday’s celebration of our Holy Church is the beginning of all these Cosmo-historic events that have taken place for the salvation of the whole of the human race, namely the days of Great and Holy Week. Our Lord moves towards His willing Suffering, reviving His friend in Bethany, the four-day dead Lazarus, declaring not only His own forthcoming Resurrection from the dead, but also our own Resurrection.
Firstly, the Lord comes from afar to resurrect Lazarus. He goes on a two-day road, thus stating that the miracle is real, not witchcraft as various have supported throughout the centuries.
Secondly, Christ expresses His great love for His friend and goes to Bethany. Third and foremost, the Lord arrives at Lazarus’ tomb and teared up. His tears are God-human. On the one hand, as a man He was sorry for his friend and on the other hand, as God, He was sad to see His image, human, given in sin, becoming the slave of death.
On the one hand we see the tomb and the dead, and on the other the God-man Jesus Christ, the Resurrection and Life. Christ raises from the dead the four-day Lazarus, eight days before His resurrection, which in turn reflects our resurrection and life with the Triune God, on the eighth and endless day, in the Kingdom of Heaven.
In closing, Mr. Nektarios asked the faithful to experience all these days of the Great and Holy Week, in repentance, in humbleness and in the bereavement of heart.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the Children’s Choir of Corfu, the Children’s Choir of the Philharmonic Society of Corfu, the Choir “Galilea” of the Koinopiastes parish, and the Avliotes’ Choir sang Lazarus’ carols to his Eminence.
The Metropolitan of Corfu shared blessings, expressing his great joy and satisfaction, because the new generation of Corfu maintains the traditions of the island.
