Mark was not one of the original apostles, although he probably was a disciple of Jesus. Mark's gospel is the clearest and the shortest of the four. Written somewhere around A.D. 65–70, it contains more miracles and less teaching than the others. Broadly speaking, Mark's gospel emphasizes Christianity in times of persecution (which was true of Rome in the year 64) amid feelings of abandonment. Mark notes the words of Jesus on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Mark tells readers that the way to be a Christian is by imitating the self-emptying love of Christ on the cross. It is here, according to Mark, that hope lies.

Figure 3-1: Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

Mark is said to have been the first to bring Christianity to Egypt, taking along the gospel he had written and establishing churches in Alexandria. His feast day is April 25, and he is the patron saint of Egypt.