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al-Eizariya or al-Izzariya (Arabic: ?????????, lit. Place of Lazarus) is the second largest Palestinian town in the Jerusalem Governorate with, according to the PCBS a population of 17,398 inhabitants.[1][2] located on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives, less than two miles (3 km) from Jerusalem. The town is commonly identified with the biblical Bethany.
History
Since the beginning of the 16th century, almost all of the town's inhabitants have been Muslim. The Ottomans under Abdul Hamid built al-Uzair Mosque to serve the town's inhabitants and named it in honor of the town's patron saint, Lazarus.[3] For 100 years after it was constructed, Christians were invited to worship in it, but the practice was frowned upon by European church authorities who felt separating the denominations was a better option.[3]
A postcard depicting "Bethany" in the Mandate time.
In the early 20th century, visitors counted 40 family dwellings in village.[3] The Catholic Encyclopedia reported in 1908 that the modern village was centered on the cave that was associated with the raising of Lazarus, which had become an early pilgrimage site, and that the site of the village mentioned in the New Testament was a little distance away, higher up on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives.[citation needed]
A Franciscan Church designed by Antonio Barluzzi and built in 1954 marks the spot of the Tomb of Lazarus and its gardens contain the remnants of a mosaic floor from an earlier church built in the 4th century CE.[3]
Present-day
Postcard depicting "The grave of Lazarus".
Postcard depicting "The grave of Lazarus".
Today, the town experiences overcrowding, due to rapid population expansion and a lack of proper town planning[3] Much of the agricultural land that produced figs, almonds, olives and carob has been confiscated or cut down and many of the original inhabitants now live in Jordan, the United States, and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.[3] Real estate speculation and the opening of many bank branches briefly accompanied expectations that the Palestinian Authority would set up its seat of government in East Jerusalem.[3]
The oldest house in present-day al-Eizariya is a 2,000 year old dwelling that has attracted pilgrims who believe it might have been the House of Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus.[3] There are ongoing excavations at a site just beyond the House of Martha and Mary.[3] Just west of it is the house of Simon the Leper, which is known by locals as the Tower of Lazarus and is operated by the Greek Orthodox Church.[3]
People from al-Eizariya
References
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