Category:Saint Mark

Born: 1st century AD in Cyrene, Pentapolis of North Africa, according to Coptic tradition Died: Uncertain Honored in: Coptic Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Catholic Churches, Lutheranism Major shrine: Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral (Cairo, Egypt) Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral (Alexandria, Egypt) Basilica di San Marco (Venice, Italy) Feast: April 25 Attributes: Lion in the desert; bishop on a throne decorated with lions; man helping Venetian sailors; man holding a book with "pax tibi Marce" written on it; man holding a palm and book; man with a book or scroll accompanied by a winged lion; man with a halter around his neck; man writing or holding his gospel; rescuing Christian slaves from Saracens. Patronage: Barristers, Venice, Egypt, Mainar and others; see others in.

Saint Mark's Feast Day is on April 25. Saint Mark was one of the four Evangelists.

---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Saint Mark the evangelist; "John whose surname was Mark" (Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25). Mark (Marcus, Colossians 4:10, etc.) was his Roman name, which gradually came to supersede his Jewish name John. He is called John in Acts 13:5, Acts 13:13, and Mark in Acts 15:39, 2 Timothy 4:11, etc. He was the son of Mary, a woman apparently of some means and influence, and was probably born in Jerusalem, where his mother resided (Acts 12:12). Of his father we know nothing. He was cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). It was in his mother's house that Peter found "many gathered together praying" when he was released from prison; and it is probable that it was here that he was converted by Peter, who calls him his "son" (1 Peter 5:13). It is probable that the "young man" spoken of in Mark 14:51, Mark 14:52 was Mark himself. He is first mentioned in Acts 12:25. He went with Paul and Barnabas on their first journey (about A.D. 47) as their "minister," but from some cause turned back when they reached Perga in Pamphylia (Acts 12:25; Acts 13:13). Three years afterwards a "sharp contention" arose between Paul and Barnabas (Acts 15:36), because Paul would not take Mark with him. He, however, was evidently at length reconciled to the apostle, for he was with him in his first imprisonment at Rome (Colossians 4:10; Philemon 1:24). At a later period he was with Peter in Babylon (1 Peter 5:13), then, and for some centuries afterwards, one of the chief seats of Jewish learning; and he was with Timothy in Ephesus when Paul wrote him during his second imprisonment (2 Timothy 4:11). He then disappears from view.

See also: Gospel of Saint Mark Gospel According to Saint Mark (Commentary)