There are thirteen churches in the Diocese of Southwark named after or with St Mark as part of their name, from St Mark’s Battersea Rise in the north of the diocese to St Mark’s Reigate in the south.
St Mark’s Reigate
St Mark’s Battersea Rise
Saint Mark is believed to have written one the four Gospels and has been venerated in England for centuries.
Gospel of Mark 1:9–11 in Jakartan Malay creole
Mark wrote the shortest of the Gospels, which was believed to have been dictated to by St Peter himself, and is the only Gospel which does not describe the nativity. St Mark is sometimes depicted writing the Gospel with St Peter standing over him.
St. Mark writes his Evangelium at the dictation of St. Peter, by Pasquale Ottino, 17th century, Beaux-Arts, Bordeaux
Saint Mark’s symbol is the lion and paintings of St Mark also show him with a winged lion. Saint Marks’ remains were thought to be in Alexandria, in the Middle Ages they were stolen by Venice who adopted him as their patron and the winged lion as Venice’s symbol.
St Mark’s Body Brought to Venice by Jacopo Tintoretto
Almighty God,
who enlightened your holy Church
through the inspired witness of your evangelist Saint Mark:
grant that we, being firmly grounded
in the truth of the gospel,
may be faithful to its teaching both in word and deed;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen
