Mark the Evangelist

Mark the Evangelist
Miniature of Saint Mark from the Grandes Heures of Anne of Brittany (1503–8) by Jean Bourdichon
Evangelist, Martyr
Born	1st century AD Cyrene, Pentapolis of North Africa, according to Coptic tradition
Died	April 25, 68 AD Cyrene, Libya, Pentapolis (North Africa), now Shahhat, Jabal al Akhdar, Libya
Venerated in	All Christian churches
Feast	April 25
Patronage	Barristers, Venice, Egypt, Mainar

Mark the Evangelist (Latin: Mārcus; Greek: Μᾶρκος; Coptic: Μαρκοϲ; Hebrew: מרקוס‎‎ Marqos Amharic: ማርቆስ^?) is the traditionally ascribed author of the Gospel of Mark. Mark is said to have founded the Church of Alexandria, one of the most important episcopal sees of Early Christianity. His feast day is celebrated on April 25, and his symbol is the winged lion.

According to William Lane (1974), an "unbroken tradition" identifies Mark the Evangelist with John Mark, and John Mark as the cousin of Barnabas. However, Hippolytus of Rome in On the Seventy Apostles distinguishes Mark the Evangelist (2 Tim 4:11), John Mark (Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13; 15:37), and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (Col 4:10; Phlm 1:24). According to Hippolytus, they all belonged to the "Seventy Disciples" who were sent out by Jesus to saturate Judea with the gospel (Luke 10:1ff.).