Celebrating the Feast Day of Saint Mark: The Apostle, Author, and Martyr

Saint Mark the Evangelist, also known as John Mark, is one of the four Evangelists of the New Testament, the author of the Gospel of Mark, and the founder of the Church of Alexandria, Egypt. He was a companion of Saint Peter, and is considered to be the founder of Christianity in Egypt.

Saint Mark is the patron saint of Venice, where his body is said to be buried in the Basilica di San Marco. He is also the patron saint of lawyers and notaries, as well as of prisoners and cattle.

There is little information available about Saint Mark's life, but it is believed that he was born in the city of Cyrene in Libya, and that he later moved to Jerusalem. He is thought to have been a follower of Jesus during his ministry, and to have accompanied Saint Peter on his missionary journeys. According to tradition, Saint Mark preached the Gospel in Alexandria, where he founded the Church, and where he later died as a martyr under the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero.

Saint Mark's Gospel is one of the four Canonized Gospels of the New Testament. It is a brief, concise account of the life and teachings of Jesus, and is believed to have been written for a Gentile audience.

Interesting facts about Saint Mark:

• The symbol of Saint Mark is the winged lion, which is said to represent the power and authority of the Gospel.
• The Basilica di San Marco in Venice is one of the most famous churches in the world, and is said to contain the remains of Saint Mark.
• Saint Mark is also the patron saint of the city of Venice, and his feast day is celebrated with a large parade and fireworks display.
• The Coptic Church of Egypt claims that Saint Mark brought Christianity to Egypt and thus he is considered the founder and the first Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria.

Saint Mark's birthdate is unknown. Death date is c. 68 AD and his canonization date is unknown.

His feast day is celebrated on April 25th.