Saint Mark the Evangelist

Saint Mark the Evangelist is the father of the Coptic Church. He was a disciple of Jesus from early in His ministry — some scholars believe he was the young man who fled naked in the Garden of Gethsemane. He became a close companion of both St. Peter and St. Paul, and it was through St. Peter's witness that he wrote his Gospel — the shortest, most action-packed account of Jesus' life.

Around 42 AD, St. Mark sailed to Alexandria, Egypt, with the message of the Gospel. Through a miraculous healing of a cobbler named Anianus, he began to preach, and the Church in Egypt was born. He traveled across Egypt and North Africa establishing Christian communities, appointing bishops and priests, and teaching the faith.

On Easter Sunday in 68 AD, pagan crowds seized St. Mark, tied a rope around his neck, and dragged him through the rocky streets of Alexandria. He died praising God. His relics are kept in the magnificent Cathedral of St. Mark in Cairo. The Coptic Pope — the 118th successor of St. Mark — still carries his legacy today. Every Coptic Christian is a child of St. Mark's faith and sacrifice.