4 April 2026 (MIA)

Macedonian Orthodox Church Calendar

Lazarus Saturday

According to Christian tradition, on the eve of Lazarus Saturday, when our Savior Lord Jesus Christ raised Lazarus, who had been dead for four days and laid in the tomb, there was a custom for housewives to make so-called Lazarus bread or Lazarus dolls, in his memory. Lazarus breads are sweet cakes, whose composition reminds us of the koliva made and offered in memory of the deceased. Their shape symbolizes Lazarus, deceased and wrapped in burial cloths. On Saturday morning, women would bring the Lazarus breads to the church, and after the Holy Liturgy ended, they distributed them to those present, especially to the children, with great love and piety. On the same day of Lazarus Saturday, children, organized by their teachers and parents, would go to parks and nearby forests to collect willow branches and flowers, which they brought to the church, singing Christian carols for Lazarus, Christ’s friend, and the festive troparion “General Resurrection.” The willow branches were scattered throughout the church and given to the faithful by the priest in memory of Palm Sunday, or Christ’s glorious entry into Jerusalem, humbly seated on a donkey, while the colorful flowers richly decorated the icons and doors of the church. Some Christians also adorned their homes with them for a blessing from God for a fruitful year. This custom was maintained in many Macedonian towns and villages until the Second World War. On the feasts of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, many people attended the Holy Liturgy and partook of the Holy Mysteries of Christ – the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, preparing themselves for the great and holy Week of Passion and for the most glorious Resurrection of Christ. During the days of Passion Week, no festivities, celebrations, feasts, or rejoicings were practiced, but honor was given to Christ’s sufferings and the overall sacrifice our Lord and Savior made for our salvation.

Catholic Calendar

St. Isidore of Seville

Isidore was literally born into a family of saints in sixth century Spain. Two of his brothers, Leander and Fulgentius, and one of his sisters, Florentine, are revered as saints in Spain. It was also a family of leaders and strong minds with Leander and Fulgentius serving as bishops and Florentine as abbess. This didn’t make life easier for Isidore. To the contrary, Leander may have been holy in many ways, but his treatment of his little brother shocked many even at the time. Leander, who was much older than Isidore, took over Isidore’s education and his pedagogical theory involved force and punishment. We know from Isidore’s later accomplishments that he was intelligent and hard-working so it is hard to understand why Leander thought abuse would work instead of patience. His encyclopaedia of knowledge, the Etymologies, was a popular textbook for nine centuries. He also wrote books on grammar, astronomy, geography, history, and biography as well as theology. When the Arabs brought study of Aristotle back to Europe, this was nothing new to Spain because Isidore’s open mind had already reintroduced the philosopher to students there. He lived until almost 80. As he was dying his house was filled with crowds of poor he was giving aid and alms to. One of his last acts was to give all his possessions to the poor. When he died in 636, this Doctor of the Church had done more than his brother had ever hoped.