The Life of Mar Mark as presented by His Holiness Pope Shenouda

His Holiness Pope Shenouda speaks to us about Mar Mark and opens that Mar Mark followed Christ while he was a young man.
The text indicates that the Holy Bible mentions that he was young, and that he most likely was about eighteen years old when he followed Christ.
It is mentioned that he worked with the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Mark in evangelizing some eastern lands, then he came to Egypt while he was young.
He founded the Church of Egypt and the Church of Libya, and he is known as the first who founded a church in Africa and is given the title “the African Apostle.”
It was mentioned that he was born in the region of Cyrenaica in Libya in a migrant family, and thus he is considered a saint of African origin.
He entered multiple religious and cultural environments in Egypt (Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Jewish) and he did not possess money or churches or a congregation when he arrived; rather he came almost deprived of everything.
Despite that he spread the faith throughout Egypt and gave his life until he obtained the martyrdom witness, and therefore his icon is depicted as a strong young man with dark skin.
The Pope addresses today’s youth with encouragement, citing John the Apostle’s saying “O young men, because you are strong” and that the word of God is fixed in them and they have overcome the evil one.

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