The Church of Saint Lazarus (Agios Lazaros) in Larnaca was built in the late 9th century and is one of the most important Orthodox churches on the island. It is tied to Lazarus of Bethany, the biblical figure whom Jesus raised from the dead.
Lazarus in Cyprus
According to Eastern Orthodox tradition, Lazarus fled Judea after his resurrection because of threats to his life and settled in Cyprus, where Paul the Apostle and Barnabas appointed him the first Bishop of Kition — the ancient city on which modern Larnaca stands. He is said to have lived there a further thirty years and to have been buried in the city.
The tomb and the founding of the church
The location of the tomb was lost during Arab rule, which began in 649 AD. In 890 AD a tomb was found in Larnaca bearing the inscription "Lazarus, four days dead, friend of Christ". The Byzantine emperor Leo VI commissioned the church over the site in response. In 898 AD the emperor had the remains transferred to Constantinople, though some relics stayed in Larnaca.
What happened to it since
Under Frankish and Venetian rule, from the 13th to the 16th centuries, the church became Roman Catholic and gained a Gothic portico. Under Ottoman rule from 1571 it was converted into a mosque, and its original domes and bell tower were destroyed. In 1589 the Ottomans sold it back to the Orthodox Church, and for the following two centuries it served Orthodox and Catholic congregations together.
The building
It is a notable example of Byzantine architecture, built mainly of limestone and measuring roughly 31.5 by 14.5 metres. The interior divides into three aisles on heavy double pillars and arched openings that carry the weight of the domes. The central aisle is domed; the north and south aisles have semi-cylindrical roofs cut by cross-vaults.
The iconostasis
The baroque iconostasis — the carved wooden screen between nave and sanctuary — is the church's most striking feature. It was carved between 1773 and 1782 by Chatzisavvas Taliadorou and gold-plated between 1793 and 1797. It holds several significant icons, some painted by Michael Proskynetes of Marathasa and completed by the icon painter Hatzimichael in 1797.
The crypt
Beneath the sanctuary is the crypt believed to hold the tomb of Saint Lazarus, reached by a staircase, where visitors can see the marble sarcophagus. During restoration work in 1972 human remains were found in the sarcophagus and identified as part of the relics of Lazarus — evidence that not all of them went to Constantinople in 898.
Lazarus Saturday
Each year on Lazarus Saturday, eight days before Easter, a procession carries the icon of Saint Lazarus through the streets of Larnaca, marking his resurrection and his role as the first Bishop of Kition. It is the church's principal feast and the point at which it matters most to the city around it.
Visiting
- Location: Plateia Agiou Lazarou, Larnaka
- Open: all year round
- Hours: Monday to Friday 08:00–12:30 and 14:30–17:30; Saturday and Sunday 08:00–17:30
- Telephone: +357 24 652 498
The church sits in the old part of the city, a few minutes' walk from the Finikoudes seafront and Larnaca Castle at its southern end. Other churches and monasteries across the island are listed under Cyprus churches.
Near Church of Saint Lazarus (Agios Lazaros), Larnaca
Other places within a short drive, closest first.
