Mark the Evangelist

Lore & Background

Coptic tradition holds that Mark was born in Cyrene, a city in the Pentapolis of North Africa (now Libya), and that he was one of the Seventy Disciples sent out by Jesus. He is said to have hosted the disciples after Jesus's death and to have been present at the Marriage at Cana. After serving with Paul in Rome, he traveled to Pentapolis and later to Alexandria, where he founded the Church of Alexandria and became its first bishop. Coptic tradition states he was martyred in AD 68 by being dragged through the streets.

Reader's Guide

Mark the Evangelist's significance lies primarily in the traditional attribution of the Gospel of Mark to him, a gospel that is a foundational text of Christianity. Church tradition credits him with founding the episcopal see of Alexandria, which became a major center of early Christianity, and the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, and the Coptic Catholic Church all trace their origins to this community. His feast day is celebrated on April 25, and his symbol is the winged lion.

However, modern biblical scholarship is divided: most critical scholars conclude the Gospel of Mark is anonymous, and while some accept John Mark as the author, others argue the author was a different Mark or an unknown figure. The four canonical gospels do not name their authors, and most academic researchers agree none were written by eyewitnesses, though that does not preclude the theory that Mark's gospel was based on Peter's eyewitness testimony. This uncertainty means Mark's legacy is both as a historical figure of tradition and as a subject of ongoing scholarly debate.

Did You Know?

• Eusebius of Caesarea wrote that Mark was succeeded by Anianus as bishop of Alexandria in the eighth year of Nero (62/63).