Saint Mark +68 AD

Feast Day: April 25
Canonization: Pre-Congregation

An associate of SS. Paul and Barnabas, Mark is credited with writing the New Testament’s second Gospel. Mark and his mother Mary were highly respected in the early Church. Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their missionary trip through Cyprus. He later accompanied Barnabas alone and was in Rome at the same time as Ss. Peter and Paul. Tradition holds that Mark founded the Church in Alexandria, one of the most important episcopal sees in the early Church.

Mark likely wrote his Gospel in Rome before 60 A.D. He wrote in Greek for Gentile converts to Christianity. Tradition holds that the Romans asked Mark to set down Peter’s teachings, which may explain the central position Peter has in his Gospel. According to Church historian Eusebius, Mark was likely martyred in 68 A.D. and was succeeded by Annianus as bishop of Alexandria. Mark’s relics were stolen from Alexandria by two Venetian merchants in 828 and taken to Venice.

Mark is the patron saint of notaries, barristers, Venice, Egypt and Mainar. Mark the Evangelist is symbolized by a winged lion, a figure of courage and monarchy.