St. Mark the Evangelist

St. Mark the Evangelist, also known as John Mark, is identified in early Christian tradition as the author of the Gospel of Mark. He is mentioned several times in the New Testament, including in the Acts of the Apostles and in Paul's letters. His mother Mary is described as hosting a prayer gathering of early Christians in her home in Jerusalem, suggesting the family was active in the first community of believers. The house is traditionally associated with the site of the Last Supper on Mount Zion, though this identification cannot be fully verified.

Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on what is often called the first missionary journey, though he departed from them partway through, leading to a notable disagreement between Paul and Barnabas recorded in Acts. Later, Mark appears in close association with the Apostle Peter, who refers to him as 'my son Mark' in his First Epistle. Early Church writers such as Papias and Irenaeus held that Mark wrote his Gospel based on Peter's preaching in Rome, presenting the life and teachings of Jesus with a directness that many scholars believe shaped the writing of the other Synoptic Gospels.

Beyond his Gospel, Mark is credited by tradition with founding the Christian community in Alexandria, which became one of the most important centers of early Christianity and later gave rise to a distinctive theological and monastic tradition. The Coptic Orthodox Church venerates him as its first patriarch. According to early accounts, Mark was eventually martyred in Alexandria after years of missionary work there.

St. Mark's symbol in Christian iconography is the winged lion, drawn from the visions of Ezekiel and Revelation and associated with the royal and resurrection themes of his Gospel, which begins with John the Baptist 'crying out in the wilderness.' His feast is celebrated on April 25 in the Roman Catholic calendar, and he is the patron saint of Venice, notaries, and lawyers. His relics were reportedly brought to Venice in the ninth century, and the magnificent Basilica of St. Mark there remains a major center of devotion to the Evangelist.