St. Lazarus Church and Tomb

Just outside of Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, is the West Bank town of al-Eizariya and the site of the Tomb of Lazarus. It is believed that modern day al-Eizariya  lies  on  what  was  the  biblical  village  of  Bethany.  According  to  Christian tradition, the tomb was the spot where Jesus performed his miracle raising Lazarus from the dead. Today, the tomb is revered by both Christians and Muslims and is a popular pilgrimage site. The site of the Tomb of Lazarus has been recognized since at least the 4th century, when the first churches were built there. The first Byzantine church built in the area was constructed in the 4th century just east of the tomb and was known as the Lazarium. The church was constructed in the style of basilicas during the time  of Constantine, with three aisles and a rectangular apse, with mosaic tiles adorning the floors. The church was destroyed in the 6th century during an earthquake, but was rebuilt and survived into the Crusader period. During the Crusader period, renovations were made on the church under the instruction of King Fulk of Anjou and Queen Melisende, which included the addition of a monastery. After the conquest of Salah Ad-Din in 1187, the site fell into disrepair until a small mosque was built there in 1384. Under  Ottoman  rule  in  the  16th  century,  a  larger  mosque,  the  al-Uzair  Mosque, dedicated to Lazarus, was built over some of the ruins of the old churches. For a long period of time, Christians were invited to worship in the mosque, but in the mid-16th century, the Franciscans were permitted to create a new entrance to the tomb on its north side and the entrance from the mosque was closed. The current Catholic Church of Saint Lazarus was constructed in the 1950s, and still retains some of the original Byzantine mosaic flooring. The entrance to the Tomb of Lazarus is located about 25 meters uphill from the Catholic Church of Saint Lazarus. Just outside the al-Uzair Mosque is a 24-step stone stairway, down which visitors will enter the antechamber of the tomb. Much of the original Byzantine stonework in the tomb has been covered with masonry during the Crusader period, which is what is visible today. The closed archway of the original entrance from the mosque can also be seen along the eastern wall. A further three steps down connect the antechamber to the small, square lower chamber, believed to be the Tomb of Lazarus. The Bibilical figure of Lazarus has become the patron of modern-day al-Eizariya, biblical Bethany,  with  both  churches  and  mosques  in  his  honor.  Aside  from  the  Catholic Church of Saint Lazarus and al-Uzair Mosque, other sites in the area include the Greek Orthodox Monastery of Saint Lazarus.