Mark: First to preach Gospel

Who was the Evangelist Mark and how did he serve the church?

Mark was a traveling companion and assistant to the Apostle Peter who, in his first Epistle, calls him his son — not a son according to the flesh, but a son according to the spirit (1 Peter 5:13).

While Mark was in Rome with Peter, the faithful begged him to write down the saving teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, his miracles and his life for them.

Thus Mark wrote his Holy Gospel, which the Apostle Peter himself saw and bore witness to as true.

Mark was appointed as bishop by the Apostle Peter and was sent to Egypt to preach.

And thus St. Mark was the first preacher of the Gospel and the first bishop in Egypt.

Egypt was entirely oppressed by the thick darkness of paganism, idolatry, soothsaying and malice.

With the help of God, St. Mark succeeded in sowing the seed of the teaching of Christ throughout Libya, Ammonicia and Pentapolis.

From Pentapolis, St. Mark came to Alexandria, where the Spirit of God led him.

In Alexandria, he succeeded in establishing the Church of God, in ordaining bishops, priests and deacons, and firmly strengthening them all in the honorable faith.

Mark confirmed his preaching through many great miracles.

When the heathens raised accusations against Mark as a destroyer of their idolatous faith, and when the governor of the city began searching for Mark, he again fled to Pentapolis, where he continued to strengthen his earlier work.

After two years, Mark returned to Alexandria, to the great joy of all the faithful, whose numbers had greatly multiplied.

On this occasion, the pagans seized Mark, bound him and began to drag him over the cobblestone pavement, crying out: “Let us drag the ox to the pen!”

Wounded and bloodied all over, Mark was cast into prison, where at first a heavenly angel appeared to him, encouraging and strengthening him.

The Lord Jesus himself appeared to him and said: “Peace be to you, Mark, my Evangelist!” To this Mark replied: “Peace be to you also, my Lord Jesus Christ!”

The next day the vicious men brought Mark out of prison and again dragged him through the streets with same cry: “Let us drag the ox to the pen!”

Completely exhausted and worn out, Mark uttered: “Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.”

Mark expired and his soul went to the better world.

His holy relics were honorably buried by Christians and through the centuries, have given people healing from all afflictions, pains and diseases.

We are blessed at St. Mark’s Orthodox Church to have a relic, a bone from the body of St. Mark, that was placed in the altar of our church when it was consecrated by our bishop.

The Rev. Daniel Rohan is pastor of St. Mark Orthodox Church in Liberty.