The story of their life
After Lazarus died, Jesus wept with his family and called him from the tomb, making his restored life a public sign that drew both belief and hostility.
Saint1st century · Feast July 29
St Lazarus of Bethany
Also known as Lazarus, Lazarus of Bethany, Saint Lazarus, Friend of Jesus
Friend of Jesus
Disciple of the Lord
The beloved friend of Jesus whose illness, death and restoration became a sign of Christ’s compassion and power over death.
A note on content. This profile is a prototype draft. Devotional traditions, historical facts and uncertain traditions will be clearly identified once entries are reviewed. We do not publish invented quotations.
Historical context
The raising of Lazarus is narrated in John’s Gospel within the final approach to Jesus’s Passion.
Defining moments
- Sharing friendship with Jesus
- Becoming seriously ill
- Dying before Jesus arrived
- Being called from the tomb
Faith and spirituality
Receiving friendship, allowing others to care and trusting Christ within vulnerability and death.
Why this saint matters today
Meaningful for people recovering from life-threatening illness, surviving a crisis or learning to live after another chance.
Patronage and intercession
People turn to St Lazarus of Bethany in matters of:
The seriously ill
People recovering from major crisis
Gravediggers in some traditions
A prayer
Jesus, friend of Lazarus, through his intercession strengthen the seriously ill and teach us to live gratefully after crisis. Amen.
Timeline
Sources and further reading
- https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2021-02/pope-francis-martha-mary-lazarus-inserted-roman-calendar.html
- https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/07/29.html
- https://www.liturgyoffice.org.uk/Calendar/
Source-quality status: unverified prototype