How Mark, the Holy Evangelist, in the Year 64

Most suppose that the holy evangelist Mark was that Mark whose surname in Holy Scripture is John. He was of the circumcision, and a nephew of Barnabas, whose mother was called Mary, a very godly woman, who gave her house in Jerusalem for the assembling of the Christians. Acts 12, verse 12; Colossians 4, verse 10. Nicephorus, book 2, chapter 33. [n104-1]

He was first appointed a servant of Paul and Barnabas, but on a journey to Pamphylia he returned to Jerusalem. Acts 12, verse 25; Acts 13, verse 13.

Afterwards the apostle Paul recommended him to the church at Colosse, asking them to receive him as a fellow worker in the kingdom of God. He also commanded Timothy to bring Mark to him, since he was very useful to him in his ministry. Colossians 4, verse 10; Second Timothy 4, verse 11.

This Mark was in prison with Paul, and gave him every faithful help in his bonds. Philemon, verses 23 and 24.

The apostle Peter, in his epistle to the elect scattered strangers, calls Mark his son, First Peter 5, verse 13; no doubt because through the Gospel he had regenerated him in Christ; or because he was his disciple, interpreter, and the writer of the Gospel he had taught. Of this last circumstance Jerome speaks in this way: "Mark, a disciple of Peter, at the request of the brothers at Rome, wrote a brief Gospel, according to what he had heard Peter relate. When Peter had examined it, he pronounced it good, and on his word gave it to the church to read." Catalogue, under Mark, from Clement of Alexandria, Hypotyposes 6. Also, Eusebius, book 2, chapter 18, from Clement of Alexandria and Papias of Hierapolis. [n104-2]

Afterwards, when Mark was sent by Peter to Egypt, he traveled through Aquilea, the capital city of Friol, where he converted many to the faith, and left Hermagoras as pastor over the church. Aventinus, Annals of the Boii, book 2. [n104-3]

Then he journeyed to Africa, filling Lybia, Marmorica, Ammonica, and Pentapolis with the doctrine of the holy Gospel. Finally he stayed several years at Alexandria, where he made his home. Nicephorus, book 2, chapter 43. Athanasius, in the Synopsis. [n104-4]

Concerning the end of his life, Gelasius states that he died there as a martyr. The Roman Council, Decree concerning authentic and apocryphal books. Nicephorus, book 2, chapter 43. [n104-5]

Mark, he writes, having been sent by Peter to

Egypt, faithfully preached the Word of truth there, and nobly sealed the testimony to it with his blood. All the martyrologies, ancient and modern, Greek and Latin, agree with this.

Histories state the following about the manner of his death: that in the eighth year of Nero, when he, at the feast of the passover, preached to the church at Alexandria the blessed remembrance of the suffering and death of Christ, the heathen priests and the whole populace seized him, and with hooks and ropes which they fastened around his body, dragged him out of the congregation, through the streets and out of the city; so that his flesh clung everywhere to the stones, and his blood was poured out upon the earth, until he, with the last words of our Savior, committed his spirit into the hands of the Lord, and died. Antoninus, part 1, chapter 6, 16. Procopius. Dia Metaphrastes. Ado, April 25, on the Feasts of the Apostles. [n104-6]

Another ancient writer relates that he was dragged very inhumanly through the streets, his whole body torn open, so that there was not a single spot on it which did not bleed; and that they then thrust him again, still alive, into prison, from which he, having been strengthened and comforted by the Lord in the night, was taken out again, and dragged to the place Buculi, while they said jestingly, "Let us lead the buffalo to the buffalo stall." Konst tooneel der veertig heerlijke afbeeldingen Christi en der Apostelen, printed in the year 1609. Also, Bybelsch Naemboeck, printed in the year 1632, letter M, page 642, columns 1 and 2. [n104-7]

Death having come in the meantime, the heathen mentioned above also wanted to burn him; but since they were prevented by a storm, the Christians buried him. This happened, according to common reckoning, in the eighth year of Nero's reign, in the year 64, on the 21st day of April.