To provide a metal vapor discharge lamp preventing the electrode support tubes of a light emitting tube from falling off a ceramic insulating heat-resistant substrate when a shock occurs during the manufacture or transportation of the discharge lamp, firmly and surely supporting the light emitting tube, and having a good life characteristic.

A light emitting tube 1 fixed with end caps sealing electrode support tubes 2a, 2b at both ends is held in an outer bulb via light emitting tube stanchions 6a, 6b. A nonlinear ceramic capacitor 9 is connected in parallel with the light emitting tube 1, and the electrode support tubes 2a, 2b are coupled with the notch sections of a ceramic heat-resistant light emitting tube holding substrate 8 to hold it. Lead wires 7a, 7b connected to the stanchions 6a, 6b are bent at one or more positions to the back side of the holding substrate 8 as seen from the center section of the light emitting tube 1.