Devotees celebrate Lazarus 'the poor' in Hialeah

HIALEAH | Uniting the love of two saints in one image, San L�zaro Parish celebrated its patronal feast by blessing a new statue that symbolizes both of the Lazaruses mentioned in the Bible. The statue was blessed during a Mass and procession celebrated by Archbishop Thomas Wenski Dec. 17.

Made in Spain, the new statue bears the head of Lazarus the poor, found in Havana�s San L�zaro del Rinc�n shrine, and the body of Lazarus of Bethany.

�I have always celebrated the feast day of St. Lazarus of Bethany in this parish and we have a statue dedicated to him,� said Father Jos� Espino, pastor. �But there is another Lazarus who also has a feast and we also have a statue, but we had not celebrated him until now. This new statue is also located at the Rinc�n in Cuba and for the first time we have it as part of this procession as well.�

The gospels recount the story of Lazarus of Bethany, brother of Martha and Mary, whom Jesus raised from the dead. Among Cubans, a great devotion also exists to Lazarus the poor, who is the protagonist of a parable told by Jesus. This Lazarus suffered on Earth, but after death arrived at �the bosom of Abraham.� Religious artists depict him covered with a purple mantle, which symbolizes that he now enjoys the fullness and peace of heaven.

�Here in this parish, whose patron is St. Lazarus, its pastor � Father Espino � after having done a lot of research and asked theologians and pastoral workers here and in Cuba, has made it possible for an image of St. Lazarus � made to resemble the one at El Rinc�n � to be here in this parish,� said the archbishop during his homily.

�Popular religiosity has given a lot of importance to the devotion to St. Lazarus � and we hope this new image of St. Lazarus will inspire a great devotion more closely rooted in the gospels,� continued the archbishop. �Our devotion is not to just honor an image of a poor person long ago � no, a true devotion should lead us to venerate the image of the poor of today. This has been the witness of El Rinc�n, where the Daughters of Charity have offered a service of solidarity to a world in pain, in the person of those with leprosy, whom they have cared for throughout the years.�

After the Mass, the new image of St. Lazarus was taken in procession through the streets of Hialeah. Devotees of different ages and nationalities from throughout South Florida participated in the procession. They gathered not just to take part in the celebration, but to see the new statue as well.

�Being devotees of St. Lazarus should commit us to show solidarity with the poor around us,� said the archbishop. �As Blessed John Paul said, God is not on the side of the insensitive rich man but rather on the side of the poor one who lacks everything. We also need to be on that same side.�