Memorial Day of Evangelist Mark among Western Christians (25/04)

Saint Evangelist Mark (St. Mark), now glorified, one of the 70 apostles, was a Jew.

The Holy Apostle Peter, in one of his epistles (1 Peter 5, 3), calls Mark his son, from which it can be concluded that Mark was a disciple of Peter. He sent Mark to preach the Gospel in different cities and countries.

Mark's last apostolic exploits belonged to Alexandria, where he was martyred.

Not far from the seashore, Mark built the first Christian church. The Egyptians, fearing the multiplication of Christians, decided to kill the evangelist. They chose the holiday of the pagan god Serapis for this crime. On this very day, April 24, the Resurrection of Christ occurred, and the day before, Saint Mark admonished the people not to participate in the sinful, pagan celebration.

The pagans invaded the church during the service, took the saint out of there and, tying his neck with a rope, dragged him along the city streets with screams and blows.

The saint’s blood stained the sharp stones of the pavement, but he did not stop praying and repeating: «I thank You, my Savior, that You have vouchsafed me to endure Your suffering for the sake of».

By evening, the holy apostle was put in prison. At night an angel appeared to him and said that his name would be written in the book of life with the names of other apostles, and his memory would be preserved on earth. The Savior himself later appeared to Saint Mark and said to him: «Peace be with you, My evangelist!».

The next day the torment resumed. Saint Mark did not stop praying, and finally uttering the words: «In Your hand I betray my spirit», — has gone to the Lord.

The Apostle Mark is traditionally depicted with a lion because he begins his Gospel with a sermon by St. John the Baptist, similar to the voice of a lion in the desert.

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