St. Mark
Posted on April 24, 2020 by admin No comments
Died: martyred 25 April 68 at Alexandria, Egypt, relics at Venice, Italy
Venerated: in All Christian churches that venerate saints Major shrine St Mark’s Basilica
Feast: 25 April (Catholic and Eastern Orthodox) 30 Parmouti or 8 May (Coptic Orthodox)
Patronage: against impenitence, against insect bites, against scrofulous diseases, against struma, struma patients, attorneys, lawyers, barristers, captives, imprisoned people, glaziers, lions, notaries, prisoners, stained glass workers, Egypt, Ionian Islands, Arezzo-Cortona-Sansepolcro, Italy, diocese of Arica, Chile, diocese of Cortona, Italy, diocese of Infanta, Philippines, prelature of Venice, Florida, diocese of 45 cities
Saint Mark was converted to the Faith by the Prince of the Apostles, whom he later accompanied to Rome, acting there as his secretary or interpreter. When Saint Peter wrote his First Epistle to the churches of Asia, he affectionately joined to his own salutation that of his faithful companion, whom he calls my son Mark. The Roman people entreated Saint Mark to put in writing for them the substance of Saint Peter’s frequent discourses on Our Lord’s life. This the Evangelist did under the eye and with the express sanction of the Apostle, and every page of his brief but graphic Gospel so bore the impress of Saint Peter’s character, that the Fathers used to name it Peter’s Gospel.
Saint Mark was then sent to Egypt to found the Church of Alexandria. There his disciples became the wonder of the world for their piety and asceticism; Saint Jerome speaks of Saint Mark as the father of the anchorites who at a later time thronged the Egyptian deserts. There, too, he set up the first Christian school, the fruitful mother of many illustrious doctors and bishops.
After governing his see for many years, Saint Mark was seized one day by the heathen, dragged by ropes over stones, and thrown into prison. On the morrow the torture was repeated, and after receiving the consolation of the sight of Angels and the voice of Jesus, Saint Mark went to his reward.
It is to Saint Mark that we owe the many pictorial touches which often give such vivid color to the Gospel scenes, and help us to visualize the very gestures and appearance of our Blessed Lord. It is he alone who notes that in the temptation Jesus was with the beasts; that He slept in the boat on a pillow; that He embraced the little children. He alone preserves for us the command, Peace, be still! by which the storm was quelled, and even the very Aramaic words He spoke, the Ephpheta and the Talitha, cumi! by which the dumb were made to speak and the dead to rise.
Prayer to St. Mark
O Glorious St. Mark through the grace of God, our Father, you became a great Evangelist, preaching the Good News of Christ. May you help us to know Him well so that we may faithfully live our lives as followers of Christ. Amen.
Prayer to St. Mark
O glorious St Mark, through the grace of God our Father, you became a great Evangelist, preaching the Good News of Christ.
Obtain for me I pray you, lively faith, firm hope and burning love; patience in adversity, humility in prosperity, recollection in prayer, purity of heart, a right intention in all my works, diligence in fulfilling the duties of my state of life, constancy in my resolutions, resignation to the will of God and perseverance in the grace of God even unto death, and, by your intercession and your glorious merits I entrust to you this special favour I now ask (mention your request).
I ask this through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.