Apostle
Evangelist Mark
Apostle and Evangelist Mark
New Calendar April 25 Old Calendar May 8
Why they are a saint
Mark was an idolater from Cyrene of Pentapolis, which is near Libya. Having come to the Faith of Christ through the Apostle Peter, he followed him to Rome. While there, at the prompting of Peter himself and at the request of the Christians living there, he wrote his Gospel in Greek… Afterwards, travelling in Egypt, he preached the Gospel there and was the first to establish the Church in Alexandria.
Life
Saint Mark, also called John Mark, was one of the Seventy Apostles and a nephew of Saint Barnabas. He was born in Jerusalem; the house of his mother Mary, beside the Garden of Gethsemane, was a gathering place for the Christians and a lodging for some of the Apostles.
He was a close companion of the Apostles Peter, Paul and Barnabas, travelled with Paul and Barnabas to Cyprus, and went to Rome with Peter, who calls him his son. In Rome he wrote his Gospel, around 62-63. From there he travelled to Egypt, founded the Church there, and started a Christian school in Alexandria.
The pagans seized him while he was serving the Liturgy, dragged him through the streets and threw him into prison, where the Lord appeared to strengthen him. The next day, as they dragged him again, he died saying, 'Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.' This was on April 4, 63. A church was built over his relics in 310, and in 820 they were taken to Venice and placed in the church named for him.
Sources: OCA Lives of the Saints. Retold in our own words.
Traditional patronage
The cited source names no specific patronage.
Patronage / why chosen as patron
Orthodox Christians usually take Evangelist Mark as a patron when they bear the name and at baptism, or were born or baptized near the feast on April 25. As an apostle, he is also asked to pray for missionaries and those who spread the Gospel.
Prayer
O holy Evangelist Mark, pray to God for us.
A short general prayer to a saint, not a liturgical text. No public-domain troparion for this saint is included.