Orthodox Icon of Evangelist Mark

Evangelist Mark Do not copy or deep-link to without prior permission from "Come and See" Icons, Books & Art.

April 25th
Troparion (Tone 4)
From thy childhood the light of truth enlightened thee, O Mark, and thou didst love the labor of Christ the Saviour. Wherefore thou didst follow Peter with zeal and didst serve Paul as a fellow laborer and didst enlighten the world with thy holy Gospel.

St. Mark assisted the Apostle Peter (1 Pet. 5:13) and wrote his Gospel in Rome, which Peter saw and approved. St. Peter ordained Mark bishop and sent him to Egypt. He evangelized Libya, Ammonicia & Pentapolis, then settled in Alexandria, where he firmly established the Church. The pagans were outraged at his progress and the growth of the Church. He fled for his life to Pentapolis and continued his work there for two years. He then returned to the still growing church in Alexandria. The pagans seized him and dragged him over the cobblestones, shouting, "We're taking the ox to the stall!" They threw him into prison, where an angel and then the Lord Jesus encouraged him. The next day, they repeated the same treatment, until he commended his spirit into the hands of the Lord.
In the upper corner of this icon is Mark's tetramorph, the lion.

We do not know the origin of this icon. From its simplicity and colors, we suppose it to be either African or Middle Eastern and between 200 and 500 years old.

Order #spe-13