1st century
A co-worker of Paul and Barnabas, also called John Mark, counted among the Seventy and remembered as Bishop of Byblos.
The Holy Apostle Mark of the Seventy, Bishop of Byblos
Apostle Mark of the Seventy, also called John Mark (Greek: Ioannes Markos), was a co-worker of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas in the apostolic age and is counted among the Seventy Apostles. He is remembered in the Eastern Orthodox tradition as Bishop of Byblos in Phoenicia. Like many Jews of his period, he bore both a Semitic name and a Greco-Roman name.
He is distinguished in the church's commemoration both from Mark the Evangelist (Bishop of Alexandria) and from Mark the cousin of Barnabas (Bishop of Apollonia), though ancient sources and the OrthodoxWiki list of the Seventy note that the Mark of Byblos figure is commonly considered identical to Mark the Evangelist. He is commemorated on September 27 together with the Apostles Aristarchus and Zenon, and on October 30.
Holy Apostle Mark,
entreat the merciful God,
to grant our souls forgiveness of transgressions.
Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).
John Mark's mother, Mary, owned a large house in Jerusalem. It was to this house that the Apostle Peter went after his escape from prison, which suggests that the family held a position of prominence and possessed resources within the early Christian community of Jerusalem.
Mark first accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, serving as their assistant. He traveled with them to Cyprus and continued as far as Perga in Pamphylia, from where he returned to Jerusalem.
His departure became a point of contention. Scripture records that Paul did not think it good to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not continued in the work. The disagreement over Mark was substantial enough that Paul and Barnabas parted ways, with Barnabas taking Mark back to Cyprus.
The tradition records that the shadow of this apostle healed the sick, and that he served as Bishop of Byblos in Phoenicia. Later accounts relate that after the death of Barnabas, John Mark traveled to Ephesus.
The church's commemorations name three figures called Mark. Ancient sources consistently style John Mark as Bishop of Byblos, distinguishing him from Mark the cousin (or nephew) of Barnabas, identified as Bishop of Apollonia, and from Mark the Evangelist, identified as Bishop of Alexandria, who wrote his Gospel under the direction of the Apostle Peter and was martyred.
The OCA cycle distinguishes Mark of the Seventy from Mark the Evangelist. October 30 marks the commemoration of Mark the cousin of Barnabas, Bishop of Apollonia. The OrthodoxWiki list of the Seventy, however, describes the Bishop of Byblos entry as commonly considered identical to Mark the Evangelist, reflecting genuine uncertainty in the tradition over how these figures relate.
The fifth-century Acts of Barnabas purports to be written by John Mark and details the missionary activities and martyrdom of Barnabas in Cyprus. The sixth-century Encomium by Alexander the Monk recounts the activities of both figures in Cyprus and relates that, after the death of Barnabas, John Mark went to Ephesus.
Mark appears in the New Testament at Acts 12:25; Acts 15:37-39; Colossians 4:10; and Philemon 1:23. St. Dimitri of Rostov's list of the Seventy Apostles identifies Mark, also called John, as the companion of Barnabas and Saul who appears in the Acts of the Apostles, and notes that he was Bishop of Byblos in Phoenicia.
Saints connected to his life, mission, and place in Orthodox tradition.
Browse similar saints by calling and place.