Church of Saint Lazarus, Larnaca, Byzantine Orthodox church in Larnaca, Cyprus
The Church of Saint Lazarus is a Byzantine structure built from limestone blocks with three interior aisles supported by paired columns. The building displays semicircular apses both inside and outside, representing the architectural traditions of the period.
The church was built in the late 9th to early 10th century by order of Emperor Leo VI, after a tomb inscribed "Lazarus, four days dead, friend of Christ" was found in Larnaca in 890 and the relics moved to Constantinople in 898. Under Frankish and Venetian rule a Gothic portico was added on the south side; the domes and original bell tower were destroyed around 1571, and the bell tower was rebuilt in 1857.
On Lazarus Saturday, eight days before Easter, the icon of Saint Lazarus is carried in procession through the streets of Larnaca. The church also keeps a Rococo pulpit on one pillar, made for Catholic use during the two centuries when Orthodox and Catholic services shared the building.
The church is open to visitors daily, with opening times that vary by season. It is best to check the current schedule before your visit, as hours differ between summer and winter months.
The relics found under the altar in 1972 were not the whole story: the head of Saint Lazarus is said to have stayed on Cyprus when the rest was carried to Constantinople in 898. The marble sarcophagus came to light during repairs after the 1970 fire, on 2 November 1972.
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