Bethany. — The Arabic name is El-Azarîyeh, from Lazarus, or Lazarium, the Arabs having taken the L for an article. Bethany was a favourite resort of Jesus, who had friends here (John xi). At a very early period churches and monasteries were erected here, and spots of traditionary interest pointed out to pilgrims. The Roman lady Paula visited a church on the site of Lazarus' grave. In 1138 Milicent, wife of Fulke, fourth king of Jerusalem (p. 86), founded a nunnery by the church of St. Lazarus, and in 1159 the building came into the possession of the Hospitallers.
El-Azarîyeh lies on a well-cultivated spur to the S.E. of the Mt. of Olives, to whose somewhat barren slopes it presents a pleasant contrast. It consists of about forty hovels, containing Muslim inhabitants only. The water here is good, and there are numerous fig, olive, almond, and carob trees. The most conspicuous object is a ruined Tower, the so-called 'Castle of Lazarus', which, judging from its large drafted stones, must he older than the time of the Crusaders. About twenty paces to the N.E. of this is the Tomb of Lazarus (Kabr el-'Azar; a light is necessary). The door looks towards the N., and to the E. of the tomb rises a mosque with a white dome ; for the Muslims also regard Lazarus as a saint , and have taken possession of his tomb. As they prevented pilgrims from visiting the place, the Christians in the 16th cent, caused a stair leading to it to be constructed from without. We descend by 24 steps into a small antechamber, which is said once to have been a ohapel, and is a Muslim as well as Christian place of prayer. Proceeding to the E. we descend three high steps to the so-called tomb-chamber of Lazarus. On the E. side is an entrance now walled up. The poor-looking chamber is lined with masonry, and its whole appearanoe is unlike that of a Jewish tomb. The tomb of Lazarus was formerly shown in the church above, and this vault was probably called the penance-chapel of Mary Magdalen. The Latins sometimes celebrate mass here.
About 43 yards to the S. of the tomb of Lazarus tradition points out the site of the house of Mary and Martha. The site has been shown in many different places, and at one time the sisters were said to have had two separate houses, the authority for this statement being a strained interpretation of Luke x, 38, 39. The same vacillation characterises the tradition as to the house of Simon the leper (Matth. xxvi. 6); and indeed nothing certain is known regarding the places visited by Christ.