Holy Evangelist and Martyr Mark 16,15-20

Marek was of Jewish descent from the tribe of Levi and was initially named John. Only later did he take the name favored by the Romans, Mark (= translated “meek.” Cf. Acts 13:5, 13; 15:39; 12:12). He was converted to faith in Jesus Christ by the holy apostle Peter, who calls him his spiritual son. Mark became a disciple of St. Peter and participated in the Apostle Paul’s missionary journeys. (E.g., Acts 12:25) Around 62, he helped preach to the Apostle Paul in Rome, and in 64, he likewise preached the Word of God in that city, called Babylon, together with the Apostle Peter. (1 Peter 5:13) Mark, at the requests of the Roman believers, wrote a Gospel which is second in the order of the Gospels and is essentially the recorded sermons of St. Peter. Peter read, edited, and approved the Gospel. Oral Tradition teaches it there as well. “Mark the disciple and interpreter of Peter, according to what he had heard Peter tell, was asked by the brethren at Rome and wrote a short Gospel. Peter heard of it, approved and confirmed it, and delivered to the churches in his power the Gospel of Mark to be read.” (Testimony of St. Hieronymus)

Later, Peter ordained Mark a bishop, sending him to preach the Word of God in Aquileia and Egypt. Before that, however, Mark also preached the Lord Jesus in Libya. He converted many Gentiles in Egypt by preaching the Gospel and chose Alexandria as his episcopal seat. In Alexandria, according to Tradition, a confident unbeliever, Ananias, was also converted and later became Mark’s successor in the episcopal ministry. It occurred as follows. One day, Mark went to have his shoes repaired by the cobbler Aanian, who accidentally pricked his hand with an awl. In doing so, he mentioned the name of God in vain.

Mark picked up on this and began to tell him about the one true God, the prophets, and Christ. Ananias replied, “I have never heard of these things. As the disciples are taught, I have only heard of the Iliad and Odysseus’ errant ways.” Then he began contradicting Marcus, but the latter told him: “If thou hadst believed in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, thy finger would have been healed.” Then, the saint made the cross sign on the wounded thumb, and the finger was healed immediately. And Anian believed in Christ and was baptized with the whole house. The pagans, however, were furious at the success of Mark’s Christian mission in Egypt. They attacked him in the temple, put a noose around his neck, and dragged him through the streets of the city. Eventually, they put him in prison. He did not complain about his suffering for Jesus’ sake but cried out: “I thank you, my Lord Jesus Christ, that you have made me worthy to suffer anything for your name’s sake.” “Peace be unto thee, Mark, my Evangelist!” The next day, the Gentiles repeated the cruel scene of torture until the saint gave his soul into the hands of Christ on the 25th of April, 67.

In the first Christian era, the four evangelists, according to the vision of the prophet Ezekiel (Ez. 1:10), were identified by the forms of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. St. Mark’s emblem is the Lion because his Gospel begins by telling of the Lord’s forerunner, John the Baptist, who preached repentance in the wilderness and thus prepared the people for the coming of the Messiah. The Lion is called the king of the wilderness, so Mark’s account of the Good News speaks of the wilderness at the beginning. Another interpretation of the character of the Lion is that Mark begins his Gospel with the penitent proclamation of St. John the Baptist, which, like the roaring of a lion, is meant to awaken sinners from their slumber in their sins. As contemporary Christians, we can take our cue from Mark in that we will often meditate on the holy Gospels, and while we are reverencing the name of Christ, we will thank God and praise Him for it.

Prayer: O God, who hast glorified thy blessed evangelist Mark to preach the Gospel: grant us, we pray thee, that we may continually prosper by his instruction and be protected by his intercession, through Christ our Lord.