Reflections on the Life of Saint Mark the Apostle
Reflections on the Life of Saint Mark the Apostle
He was raised in a devout household, and his home became the first church in the world.
He had a vast ministry across all continents of the ancient world.
He was a man of learning who founded the first theological college in the world.
He was an African apostle, born in Africa, and he established the first African Church.
He began his ministry without any means, yet it expanded until it encompassed all.
Whenever we remember that we are Christians, we recall the name of Saint Mark, who brought the faith to us in Egypt and removed idolatry from it in all its forms.
Although Saint Mark spent around seven years in Egypt, there is no doubt that those years were fruitful, rich in goodness, and a blessing to us all.
On the Feast of the Martyrdom of Saint Mark, we wish to pause and contemplate his blessed life and successful ministry.
The first point we mention in this regard is that Saint Mark was raised from childhood in a pious environment, which had a great impact on his life and later ministry.
His mother was one of the holy women named Mary.
She dedicated her house to the Lord, and it became so. The house of Mary, the mother of Mark, became the first church in the world (Acts 12:12). This reminds us of Aquila and Priscilla and the church in their house (Romans 16:5), and also of the house of Lydia, the seller of purple, which became a church. Yet the house of Mark was the most famous among them, because the Lord Himself chose it to celebrate the Passover. In the upper room of this house, the Lord washed the disciples’ feet, instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and on the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples gathered there in prayer.
Thus, Mary the mother of Mark consecrated her house to the Lord, and it ceased to be her own afterward.
This upbringing and atmosphere deeply influenced Mark. Among his relatives were also the apostles Peter and Barnabas. Mark joined the great apostles and served with them, especially with Peter and Paul.
The ministry of Saint Mark extended far beyond Egypt.
He preached with Saint Peter in Judea, Jerusalem, and Bethany; accompanied Saints Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey; and evangelized with them in the regions of Syria, especially Antioch (Acts 11:27; Acts 12:25). He also went down with them to Seleucia and later appeared again in Antioch with Barnabas (Acts 15:27).
With Paul and Barnabas, he preached in Cyprus and Salamis and served with them (Acts 13:4–5). He also served in Cyprus with Barnabas after the Council of Jerusalem around 51 AD (Acts 15:39).
The people of Lebanon believe that Saint Mark was one of their evangelists, especially in the region of Byblos.
Saint Mark also participated with Saint Paul in founding the Church of Rome. Some say that the Romans requested his preaching, so he wrote his Gospel especially for them. This Gospel, however, testifies to his universal mission, not a local one.
He also served with Saint Paul in Colossae (Colossians 4:10). The people of Venice regard him as their evangelist and their patron saint. The city of Aquileia, belonging to Venice, also traces its Christian roots to Saint Mark. Since he went to Rome, there is nothing preventing his having visited other cities in Italy as well.
Beyond Asia and Europe, his primary ministry was in Egypt and Libya, in Africa.
He preached in the Five Western Cities—Pentapolis—located west of Egypt in the region of Cyrenaica. Scholars agree that these were in modern-day Libya. In North Africa, there was another center of evangelism not founded by Mark: the See of Carthage, where Saint Augustine later became bishop of Hippo in the fifth century.
Due to the vast extent of his ministry and many travels, Saint Mark ordained a general bishop to assist him in Alexandria—Saint Anianus—who became the first successor of Saint Mark after his martyrdom.
Near the end of Saint Paul’s life, he requested that Mark come to him before his departure, saying to Saint Timothy: “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).
Thus, Saint Mark’s service was not confined to Egypt; it extended to many lands.
He gives us a great example of a ministry that transcends limits, one that dissolves self-interest in the mission of spreading the Kingdom of God wherever divine providence leads the Church.
The ministry of Saint Mark also stands as a shining example of victory over difficulties.
When Saint Mark came to Egypt, the conditions were far from ready for him. There were no churches, no known Christian communities, and no place to stay. He came walking toward the unknown, led only by grace.
There were many obstacles before him, including the diversity of religions in Egypt:
— The worship of the ancient Egyptian gods led by Ra, the chief of the gods.
— The Roman cults, represented by Jupiter, the chief of the Roman gods.
— The Greek worship of the gods headed by Zeus.
— Ancient Eastern religions.
— And the Jewish faith in two districts of Alexandria.
In addition, there were Greek philosophies flourishing in that great city, along with the famous Library of Alexandria containing over half a million manuscripts—when it later burned, the fire blazed for months.
Yet Saint Mark did not fail. He entered his ministry with no visible means, relying only on his faith that God would work in and through him, arranging everything. And indeed, it happened as he believed.
Through his continuous work in spreading the Word of faith, Christianity spread throughout Egypt and soon threatened the existence of paganism—all within only seven years of fervent and faithful service.
Saint Mark paid the price of his zeal and devotion, shedding his pure blood and receiving the crown of martyrdom.
In his ministry, Saint Mark’s love of learning is clearly seen in his founding of the first theological seminary.
He was an educated apostle, fluent in Latin and Greek, as well as Hebrew and Aramaic, and he understood Alexandria’s great intellectual position within the Hellenistic world.
He met learning with learning and philosophy with philosophy, establishing the Theological School of Alexandria to stand against the pagan philosophical schools of the city. He appointed Saint Justus as its first dean, who later became one of his successors.
Soon, the School of Alexandria became the most famous theological institution in the world, producing many Eastern bishops and renowned theologians such as Athenagoras, Pantaenus, Clement, Origen, and Didymus the Blind. This school made immense contributions to spreading theological knowledge.
Later, the bishops of Alexandria became known for their learning and were able to lead the ecumenical councils theologically—all thanks to Saint Mark’s foresight in establishing this school from the beginning.
Saint Mark also composed a liturgy that was first known as the Liturgy of Saint Mark. Saint Cyril of Alexandria (Cyril the Pillar of Faith) later added to and organized it, and it became known as the Liturgy of Saint Cyril.
The Gospel of Mark is the earliest of the four Gospels, as attested by all biblical scholars. It is also the most concise, containing only 16 chapters, while Matthew has 28 and Luke 24. It is especially suitable for youth and for the Gentiles, particularly the Romans, making Saint Mark’s Gospel a key evangelistic work for the whole world.
The symbol of his Gospel is the lion, which also has a miraculous and symbolic story in his life. In icons, Saint Mark is often depicted writing his Gospel beside a lion, recalling the words of Revelation: “The first living creature was like a lion.” In Venice, he is represented with a winged lion.
Saint Mark holds a great place in Africa as an African apostle.
He was born in the city of Derna (Darnis) in Cyrenaica—African by birth though of Hebrew descent. His ministry was in Africa, in Egypt and Libya, where his episcopal see was established.
He founded the first church in Africa; therefore, African Christians regard the Coptic Church as the Mother Church. They love it deeply and revere this apostle who was an evangelist, martyr, and African—whose message they accept more readily than that of the European missionaries.
Today, the name of Saint Mark is found across all continents.
Many of our Coptic churches abroad—in America, Canada, Europe, Australia, and the Arab world—bear his name.
Our Coptic Church itself carries his name as the “See of Saint Mark,” which extends across many countries with its dioceses and bishoprics.
We honor this saint on his feast day—the day of his martyrdom and the shedding of his blood for the faith.
With the loyalty of children toward their spiritual fathers, we offer him our gratitude and appreciation, for he delivered to us the faith as he received it from the Lord Himself and His holy apostles.
We ask for his prayers, blessings, and intercessions.
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Article by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, published in Watani Newspaper, May 10, 1981
