St. Mark was born in Cyrene, one of the five western cities in Libya. His first name was John and his last name was Mark. His father’s name was Aristopolus and his mother’s name was Mary. She was one of the Marys who followed our Lord Jesus Christ. His family lived in Cyrene until they were attacked by some barbarians and lost their property. The family was then forced to immigrate to Palestine.

St. Mark’s house is considered the first Christian Church. In the Upper Room in his house our Lord Jesus Christ celebrated the Passover with his disciples, Our Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist, Our Lord appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, and the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost.

The first person St. Mark attracted to the faith was his father Aristopolus. One day they were walking near the Jordon River and they encountered a lion. St. Mark was not afraid and told his father, “Christ, in whose hands our lives are committed, will not let it harm us.” Saying this, he prayed, made the sign of the cross and immediately the lion fell down dead. His father marveled and believed in our Lord Jesus Christ at the hands of his son who baptized him. Because of this miracle the symbol of St. Mark is the lion which we see with him in all his icons.

St. Mark accompanied St. Peter on his missionary journeys inside Jerusalem and Judea. St. Mark also accompanied St. Paul and St. Barnabas on their missionary journey to Antioch, Cyprus and Asia Minor. St. Mark participated with St. Paul in establishing the Church of Rome.

St. Mark arrived in Alexandria, Egypt, around the year 60 or 61 A.D. When he entered the city, his sandal was torn because of the long distance that he had to walk. He went to a cobbler called Anianus to repair it. While he was repairing it, the needle pierced his finger. Anianus shouted in Greek saying “Eis theos” which means “O, One God”. When St. Mark heard these words he was so happy and he started talking to Anianus about the One God. St. Mark took some clay, spat on it and applied it to Anianus’ finger, saying; “In the Name of Jesus Christ the Son of God’. The wound healed immediately, as if nothing had happened. Anianus was amazed at this miracle that happened in the name of Jesus Christ. St. Mark started explaining to him about our Lord Jesus Christ. Anianus and his entire family believed, and St. Mark baptized them.

St. Mark used Anianus’ house as a place to meet with the believers. When the number of Christians increased and the Church in Alexandria grew, the non-Christians in the city were angry and thought of slaying St. Mark. The faithful advised him to get away for a short while. St. Mark ordained St. Anianus a Bishop for Alexandria, along with three priests and seven deacons. St. Mark went to the five western cities (West of Egypt) and remained there preaching for two years. He then went to Rome and witnessed the martyrdom of St. Peter and St. Paul in the year 67 A.D.

St. Mark returned to Alexandria and built a church in the place known as Bokalia (which means ‘the place of cows’ – Now Alexandria). In the year 68 AD, the Christians were celebrating the feast of the Resurrection, and the same day coincided with the feast of the pagan god Syrabis. A big group of pagans attacked the church at Bokalia. They seized St. Mark, tied him with a thick rope and dragged him through the streets. They then threw him into a dark prison. The angel of the Lord appeared to him in the middle of the night, healed and strengthened him, and then our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to St. Mark to console him. The next morning, the pagans dragged him again through the streets of Alexandria. Finally, On May 8 in the year 68 A.D. the great St. Mark, the evangelist and one of the seventy apostles, delivered up his pure soul and received the crown of martyrdom. However, St. Mark’s death did not satisfy the rage of the pagans and their hatred. They tried to burn his body. A severe storm blew and heavy rains fell which extinguished the fire. The pagans were frightened and fled away. The believers came and took his pure body. St. Anianus, the clergy and people prayed over him, then buried him in the church with great veneration.

The blessing of his prayers be with us all and glory be to our God forever. Amen