flourished 1st century, Jerusalem
died traditionally Alexandria, Egypt; Western feast day April 25; Eastern feast day September 23
Christian evangelist to whom the second Gospel is traditionally ascribed.
He joined Saints Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey but left them at Perga and returned to Jerusalem. He may also have aided St. Peter in Rome, and some scholars believe that Mark's Gospel is based on Peter's account of his experiences as one of the Twelve Apostles. If this is true, it was probably written shortly after Peter's death 0441; AD 65. The Egyptian church claims Mark as its founder, and he is patron saint of the Italian cities of Aquileia and Venice. His symbol is the lion.