Feast of Mark
Which Mark are we honoring today? He was believed to be the young man who ran away when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:51-52), and the “John whose other name was Mark” (Acts 12:25).
He was a disciple of Saint Peter the Apostle who travelled with him to Rome and was referred to as “my son Mark” by the first Pope. He travelled with his cousin Saint Barnabas and with Saint Paul through Cyprus. He was known to have evangelized in Alexandria, Egypt. He established the Church there, served as its first bishop, and founded the first famous Christian school. He is recognized as the author of the earliest canonical Gospel under the title of his name, Mark.
Occasionally, some saints become patron saints of various causes. Mark is the patron saint of struma and scrofulous. I will let you look those up.
He is also patron saint of lawyers, attorneys, and barristers. One more, he is the patron saint for stained glass workers. In paintings or stained-glass artwork, he is recognizable either by the lion or a winged lion.
St. Mark, pray for us.
May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen