St. Mark

Saint Mark

Evangelist

Mark was born a Jew, of the priestly tribe of Levi and Aaron, according to St. Bede the Venerable. He may have also been known as John or John Mark, and some theorize that Mark was the young man who fled naked from the garden when Our Lord was arrested. Mark was a close disciple of St. Peter, and served as the first Pope’s interpreter. He composed his Gospel at the request of the Roman faithful, under the direct aid, influence and approval of his master Peter. Mark went on to become the founding bishop of the city of Alexandria, and thus the father of the Church in Africa. In the year of Our Lord 68, he was apprehended by angry pagans in Alexandria. They dragged him through the streets for an entire day, tearing his body nearly to pieces before throwing him into prison, where he was consoled by heavenly visions. Mark was dragged through the streets again the next day, until he finally expired. His relics now rest under the high altar in the great Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice. Mark’s symbol as an evangelist is the lion. His feast is now closely associated with the Greater Litanies and Rogation procession that were assigned to this date even before St. Mark’s feast was fixed to it.

Traditional Roman Martyrology for April 25th

AT Alexandria, the birthday [into heaven] of blessed Mark, evangelist, disciple and interpreter of the apostle St. Peter. He wrote his gospel at the request of the faithful of Rome, and taking it with him, proceeded to Egypt and founded a church at Alexandria, where he was the first to announce Christ. Afterwards, being arrested for the faith, he was bound, dragged over stones and endured great afflictions. Finally he was confined to prison, where, being comforted by the visit of an angel, and even by an apparition of our Lord himself, he was called to the heavenly kingdom in the eighth year of the reign of Nero.

At Rome, the great Litanies in the church of St. Peter.

At Syracuse, the holy martyrs Evodius, Hermogenes, and Callistus.

At Antioch, St. Stephen, bishop and martyr, who suffered much from the heretics opposed to the Council of Chalcedon, and was precipitated into the river Orontes, in the time of the emperor Zeno.

In the same city, the Saints Philo and Agathopodes, deacons.

At Alexandria, the bishop St. Anian, disciple of blessed Mark, and his successor in the episcopate. With a great renown for virtue, he rested in the Lord.

At Lobbes, the birthday of St. Erminus, bishop and confessor.

℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

℟. Thanks be to God.