25 April - Mark is a first-century Jew, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles and in various epistles where he is referred to as "John nicknamed Mark" or "John Mark" and presented as close to the apostles Peter and Paul.
Mark was probably of the race of Aaron; he was born in Galilee. He seems to have been one of the seventy-two disciples of the Savior; but he appears to us especially in history as the faithful companion of the apostolate of St. Peter.
It was under the inspiration of the head of the Apostles and at the request of the Christians of Rome that he wrote the Gospel that bears his name. Mark, however, did not follow St. Peter until his glorious martyrdom; but he received from him the special mission to evangelize Alexandria, Egypt and other African provinces.
The disciple did not fail in his task and carried the torch of the Gospel as far as he could in these lands. Alexandria in particular became such a luminous home, so much so that Christian perfection was achieved to such a high degree that this Church, like that of Jerusalem, formed one heart and one soul in the service of Jesus Christ. The rage of the devil could not fail to explode.
The hardened pagans resolved the death of the holy evangelist and sought every means of taking him over. Mark, in order to ensure the consolidation of his work, formed a sure and truly apostolic clergy, and then escaped the traps of his enemies by going elsewhere to carry the Cross of Jesus Christ. A few years later, he had the consolation of finding the Church of Alexandria more and more flourishing.
The new extension of the faith by his presence and the numerous conversions brought about by his miracles renewed the rage of the pagans. He was seized and dragged, with a rope around his neck, to a place full of rocks and precipices. After this long and painful ordeal, he was thrown into prison, where he was consoled the next night by the appearance of an angel who strengthened him for the decisive battle, and by the appearance of the Saviour himself.
The next morning Mark was therefore taken out of prison, and a second time they put a rope around his neck, overthrew him, and dragged him away with an angry shout. The victim, during this painful ordeal, thanked God and begged for his mercy. At last, crushed by the rocks where his bloody limbs were bumping into each other, he breathed his last, saying, "Lord, into your hands I commend my soul".
