7th Temple Guard: Saint Mark the Evangelist

A Temple Guardian & Keeper of the Scrolls:

Saint Mark the Evangelist

Saint Mark the Evangelist is the traditionally ascribed author of the Gospel According to Mark, the second canonical book of the New Testament.  The Gospel According to Mark, is one of four canonical gospels and one of the three synoptic gospels.

It tells of the ministry of Yahshuah from his baptism by John the Baptist to his death and burial and the discovery of the empty tomb.  There is no genealogy of Yahshuah or his birth narrative, or any post-resurrection appearances.

Mark although living and possibly growing up in Israel, is thought to have been a native African, born in Cyrene, a city in the Pentapolis of North Africa (now Libya).

In AD 49, about 19 years after the Ascension of Yahshuah, Mark travelled to Alexandria and founded the Church of Alexandria – The Church Mark founded in Alexandria, became one of the most important episcopal sees of Early Christianity.  Today aspects of the Coptic liturgy can be traced back to Mark himself.  He became the first bishop of Alexandria and he is honoured as; the founder of Christianity in Africa.  His title that has been inherited by all succeed Patriarch's who have sat on his Seat or Throne, ever since, is;

Papias (Pope) of Alexandria and Patriarch of all Africa,
with succeeding Patriarchs adding;
On the Holy See of St. Mark the Apostle.

St Mark’s house in Judea is thought also to have been the location of the 1st church, in Jerusalem, the actual place where the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles at Pentecost. It was also possibly the place where the Last Supper took place also. St Mark in 62AD baptised Anianos, the 1st Egyptian Bishop & 2nd Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, his symbol is the winged lion.

The Credentials and Significance:

St Mark’s iconography usually depicts him, in a wilderness, often by a large river, holding a scroll in his hand and seated alongside a lion. This symbol represents the True African-Ethiopian/Egyptian & Israelites/Christians who will find themselves in the wilderness (darkness), but will be saved by the Holy Word (The Bible) that will be overstood, after being fulfilled by the signal the coming of Davidic King (Lion).