After these twelve apostles of Christ—the just judges of the age and the true lights of the world, who founded the Church by their blood upon the chosen living stone, Jesus Christ, and by whose teaching the Church shines like the sun and moon—we must finally speak very briefly about certain other disciples of the apostles who shone wonderfully in holiness and doctrine.
First comes Mark the Evangelist, who was Peter’s disciple and his son in Baptism. He was a priest descended from the tribe of Levi. His name is interpreted “lofty by command” or “certain, turned aside.”
He went to Rome with Peter. The faithful who were at Rome asked him to commit to writing, for their perpetual remembrance, the Gospel that Peter preached. Mark wrote with the pen of faith what he had received from his teacher’s mouth.
When Peter discovered this pious theft, he examined it diligently. Seeing that it was full of truth in every respect, he approved it to be received by all the faithful.
As Jerome says, Mark is reported to have cut off his own finger so that he would be considered unfit for the priesthood under the New Law. He did this from the greatest humility, by the familiar counsel of the Holy Spirit. According to the common law, however, this is altogether prohibited, as appears in Distinction 55, If Anyone, in the Gloss.
Peter’s authority nevertheless prevailed. It is believed that Mark’s finger was divinely restored to him. Knowing his constancy, Peter sent him to Aquileia, where by preaching God’s word he drew innumerable multitudes of nations to the faith. There he also wrote a Gospel, which is preserved to the present day in the church of Aquileia with the greatest veneration.
At last blessed Mark brought Hermogoras, a citizen of Aquileia whom he had converted to the faith, to blessed Peter at Rome. Peter ordained Hermogoras bishop in Aquileia. After receiving this office, Hermogoras governed the church of Aquileia—which now holds patriarchal dignity—most excellently. He was finally captured by unbelievers and crowned with martyrdom.
Mark was afterward sent by blessed Peter to Alexandria, where he was the first to preach the Lord’s word. At his first entrance, as Philo, the most eloquent of the Jews, says, a very great multitude was united in faith, devotion, and the observance of continence.
Peter Damian also says in Mark’s commendation in a sermon: “God bestowed such grace upon him at Alexandria that all who then gathered to the rudiments of faith immediately flew, through continence and zeal for an entirely heavenly manner of life, as though to the summit of monastic perfection. He urged them toward this not only by the wonders of miracles and not merely by the eloquence of preaching, but also by eminent examples.”
[Running head: Chapter Sixteen, Folio 198.]
As Mark entered Alexandria, his shoe suddenly broke and came apart. Understanding this spiritually, he said: “The Lord has truly made my way unimpeded. Satan will not be able to hinder the man whom the Lord has released from dead works.”
Mark saw a man sewing old shoes and gave him his own shoe to repair. While doing the work, the man seriously wounded his left hand and cried out: “One God!”
When Mark heard this, he said: “The Lord has truly made my journey prosper.” Touching the wound with his spittle, he immediately healed him.
The man was named Ananias. He brought Mark into his house and asked who he was and what his condition was. When Mark said that he was a servant of Jesus Christ, Ananias replied: “I should like to see this Lord of yours.”
Mark answered: “I shall show him to you.” By evangelizing the mysteries of Christ to Ananias, Mark converted him to the faith and baptized him.
The men of that city heard that a Galilean had arrived who despised sacrifices to their gods, and they set snares to destroy him. When the Evangelist learned of this, he ordained the Ananias whom he had healed as bishop, withdrew from Alexandria, and departed to preach in Pentapolis.
When he returned to Alexandria after two years, he found the faithful multiplied there. The priests of the temples intended to seize him.
While blessed Mark was celebrating Mass during the Paschal solemnity, the unbelievers came upon him, placed a rope around his neck, and dragged him through the city, saying: “Let us drag the buffalo to the places of Bucolus.” His flesh fell upon the ground, and the stones were soaked with blood.
He was afterward cast into prison and comforted there by an angel. Jesus himself also visited and comforted him, saying: “Peace be with you, Mark, my evangelist. Do not fear, for I am with you. I shall rescue you.”
When morning came, they again put a rope around his neck and dragged him here and there through the city, saying: “Drag the buffalo to the places of Bucolus.” As he was dragged, Mark gave thanks to God and said: “Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.” Thus he rendered his spirit about the year of the Lord 57, under Nero.
When the pagans wished to burn his lifeless body, a great storm suddenly arose with such thunder and lightning that everyone sought safety in flight. Meanwhile the faithful seized the body and reverently buried it in a church.
In the year of the Lord 467 [read: 828], the Venetians took the sacred body from Alexandria by armed force. Bringing it to Venice, they built a church of marvelous beauty and placed the body there with the greatest honor.
The Church holds blessed Mark in such veneration that the church of Alexandria, which Mark founded, is the first patriarchal see after Constantinople, which itself was the first after Rome, as appears in Distinction 22, Renewing.