Saint Mark
Saint Mark the Evangelist (born c. 1st century AD in Cyrene, Libya, or Jerusalem; died c. 68 AD in Alexandria, Egypt) was one of the four Evangelists and the author of the Gospel of Mark — the shortest and most direct of the four Gospels, likely the earliest written. He was a companion and interpreter of Saint Peter the Apostle in Rome, and founded the Church of Alexandria. He is the patron of Venice, Egypt, and the Coptic Church. His symbol is the winged lion. His feast day is April 25.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Mark
| Saint Mark | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | April 25 |
| Profession | Evangelist; Apostolic companion; founder of the Church of Alexandria; first bishop of Alexandria (traditional) |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Coptic Orthodox Church (patron and founder); Eastern Orthodox Church; Alexandrian Rite; Venice; author of the Gospel of Mark |
| Patronage | Venice; Egypt; the Coptic Church; Alexandria; notaries; interpreters; glaziers; secretaries; lawyers; Africa; the Venetian people; those at sea |
| Attributes | Winged lion (his Evangelist symbol, from the opening of his Gospel: a voice crying in the wilderness like a roar — associated with the lion of Judah and the prophet's voice); Gospel book; palm of martyrdom; Venice's Piazza San Marco; the Gospel of Mark |
| Birthplace | Cyrene, Libya (traditional) or Jerusalem |
| Death Place | Alexandria, Egypt |
| Cause of Death | Martyrdom; dragged through the streets of Alexandria on Easter Sunday by a mob opposed to his preaching; he survived this first dragging; imprisoned overnight; dragged again the next day; died of his wounds in 68 AD; his death is considered a martyrdom by the Church |
| Primary Shrine | Basilica di San Marco, Venice, Italy — his relics (smuggled from Alexandria in 828 AD); one of the most architecturally significant churches in the world; Byzantine mosaics; Treasury containing relics; visited by millions annually; a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of Venice |
| Liturgical Class | Feast (Roman Rite); April 25; Solemnity in Venice; major feast in the Coptic Church |
| Historic Class | Double of the Second Class; April 25 |
Biography
Mark is identified in the New Testament as John Mark, a Jerusalem Christian and cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey but left early, causing a dispute between them. He was later reconciled with Paul, who praised him (2 Timothy 4:11).
He became closely associated with Saint Peter the Apostle, who called him "my son Mark" (1 Peter 5:13). The ancient tradition preserved by Papias of Hierapolis (c. 130 AD) holds that Mark wrote down Peter's preaching as the Gospel of Mark — the shortest, most direct, and likely earliest of the four Gospels.
After Peter's death, Mark went to Egypt and founded the Church of Alexandria — one of the five great ancient Patriarchates of the Church. The Coptic Orthodox Church traces its direct origin to his mission there.
He was martyred in Alexandria on Easter Sunday, approximately 68 AD, dragged through the streets by a mob opposed to his preaching.
In 828 AD, Venetian merchants smuggled his relics from Alexandria to Venice. The Doge of Venice built the Basilica di San Marco to enshrine them. The winged lion of Venice is the symbol of Saint Mark.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Cyrene, Libya (traditional) or Jerusalem
Death location: Alexandria, Egypt
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Parishes
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Media
Shrines
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No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Known shrines
- Basilica di San Marco, Venice — his relics; one of the world's great basilicas.
- Coptic Cathedral of Saint Mark, Cairo (modern relics); the Coptic Church received a relic from Rome in 1968 (given by Pope Paul VI to Pope Cyril VI as a gesture of ecumenism).
Feast day
April 25
Veneration
Saint Mark is one of the Four Evangelists and author of the Gospel of Mark. He is the patron and namesake of Venice, whose winged lion symbol he inspired, and the founding patron of the Coptic Church of Egypt. His feast is April 25.
Prayers
Authored
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Intercessory
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