At the corner of Faneromenis and Agiou Lazarou Street is the church of Agiou Lazarou (Holy Lazarus), built in the 9th century by Emperor Leo, on the site of St. Lazarus' tomb. According to legend, Lazarus travelled to Larnaca after his resurrection, and became the city's first bishop. His tomb is inside the church, under the main altar. The entrance is decorated with a number of icons. The church belltower was built in 1857. The church also houses a small museum, containing beautiful samples of Byzantine religious art, including old wood carvings, icons and liturgical utensils.
St. Lazarus Church
9th-century Byzantine church built over the tomb of St. Lazarus
| Address | Agiou Lazarou Street, Larnaca |
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A story
According to tradition, Lazarus — the man raised from the dead by Jesus — came to Cyprus after his resurrection and became the first bishop of Kition (Larnaca), serving for thirty years before dying a second and final death. The Byzantine emperor Leo VI had his relics transferred to Constantinople in 890 AD; the church was built to replace what they had taken. A fragment of his remains later returned, and the sarcophagus beneath the altar is said to hold them.