History of St. Mark the Evangelist: Which Mark?

HISTORY OF ST. MARK

Mark the Evangelist is the author of the earliest written Gospel, the Gospel of Mark, which was composed about 30 years after the crucifixion of Jesus in the late AD 60s.

His feast day is April 25 for Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. He is historically significant both as the author of the earliest Gospel and as the patron saint of Venice.

Which Mark is this, what is he known for, where did he travel, where is he now?

Which Mark?

The name Mark also appears elsewhere in the New Testament. One is John Mark, mentioned in The Book of Acts chapters 12, 13, and 15. The Pauline epistles of Colossians and Philemon mention Mark as the cousin of Barnabas, the Evangelist, who was an early traveling companion of St. Paul. The early Christian theologian Hippolytus of Rome, of the early 3rd century, believed that these are three different Marks.

But your friendly neighborhood historian humbly disagrees, as the only existing copy of this treatise on this topic appeared in Greece less than 200 years ago and is considered by most scholars to be pseudepigraphical. I believe all three Marks were the same man: the writer of the Gospel, John Mark, and the cousin of Barnabas.

Mark’s Life

Mark was not one of the original 12 Apostles but has been regarded as one of the 70 Disciples whom Jesus sent out to spread the good news of the Kingdom, as mentioned in Luke 10.

While not in Jesus’ inner circle, he was in the next, larger circle of followers. Some believe he is the unnamed young man who followed Jesus after his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, mentioned only in the Gospel of Mark:

And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked.

Other traditions record that the Last Supper was held in the house of Mark’s mother, as was

• Jesus’ post-resurrection appearance to the Apostles, where he ate fish (Luke 24:42)
• Later, when St. Peter escaped from prison (Acts 12:12)

Was Mark’s life confined to Israel?

John Mark accompanied Barnabas and St. Paul on a missionary journey that began in Cyprus and continued throughout Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Following the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15), he accompanied Barnabas to Cyprus but without Paul. Around AD 42, Mark met Peter and accompanied him as his translator. During that time, Mark recorded Peter’s sermons and his personal accounts of Jesus, which became the first Gospel book. So, the Gospel of Mark is essentially the story of Jesus from Peter’s perspective.

From extra-biblical traditions, we learn that around AD 49, Mark traveled to Alexandria and founded the church in Egypt. Several groups trace their origins to that church, including the Greek Orthodox Church in Alexandria, as well as both the Coptic Orthodox and Coptic Catholic Churches.

Although the Ethiopian eunuch may be credited with first bringing the message of Jesus to Ethiopia, following his encounter with Philip, according to Acts 8, Mark is believed to have become the first bishop of Alexandria. He is considered the disciple who brought the gospel to the African continent. Mark was martyred in AD 68, according to Coptic tradition.

Why St. Mark is the Patron Saint of Venice

Mark’s body remained in Alexandria until AD 828, when it was believed that relics of his body were stolen by two Venetian merchants – aided by two Greek monks – and taken to Venice.

Today, in a mosaic in San Marco’s (St. Mark’s) Basilica in Venice, a visitor can see sailors delivering the body hidden beneath pork and cabbage leaves to escape detailed inspection by Muslim guards in Alexandria, who would not have touched the “unclean” meat.

San Marco’s Campanile

Mark’s relics were secretly kept by the Doge (Duke) of Venice, from the Latin word “dux,” meaning “leader.” In AD 1063, a new basilica, now known as the Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of St. Mark, was being built in Venice. The saint’s remains were removed from the Doge’s Palace and placed in a sarcophagus in the basilica.

San Marco’s is the most popular destination in Venice, situated in Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square), with the Campanile (bell tower) located across the square from the basilica. This bell tower is the model for the Sather Tower at the University of California, Berkeley.

The Symbol of St. Mark

Lion of St. Mark, Venice

His symbol is the winged lion, which is found atop a column at the port side entrance to Piazza San Marco. This is also where the cruise ships drop off their tourists for the day.

In Venice, Italy, St. Mark’s Day is a public holiday marked by church services, concerts, carnivals, and street markets.

How do you celebrate St. Mark’s Day?

Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historian
billpetro.com