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His house was the first Christian church, where they ate the [[Passover]], hid after the death of the Lord Christ, and in its upper room the [[Holy Spirit]] came upon them.
This apostle was born in Cyrene (one of the five Western cities, Pentapolis, in North Africa). His father's name was Aristopolus and , his mother's name was Maryand he was a kinsman of the [[Apostle Barnabas]]. They were [[Judaism|Jewish]] in faith, rich and of great honor. They educated him with the Greek and Hebrew cultures. He was called Mark after they emigrated to Jerusalem, where St. [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] had become a disciple of Jesus Christ. St. Peter was married to the cousin of Aristopolus. Mark visited St. Peter's house often, and from him he learned the Christian teachings.
Once Aristopolus and his son Mark were walking near the Jordan river, close by the desert, they encountered a raving lion and a lioness. It was evident to Aristopolus that it would be his end and the end of his son, Mark. His compassion for his son compelled him to order him to escape to save himself. Mark answered, "Christ, in whose hands our lives are committed, will not let them prey on us." Saying this, he prayed, "O, Christ, Son of God protect us from the evil of these two beasts and terminate their offspring from this wilderness." Immediately, God granted this prayer, and the two beasts fell dead. His father marvelled and asked his son to tell him about Christ. He believed in the Lord Christ at the hands of his son who [[baptism|baptized]] him.
== Source ==
*[http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/08_30.html Coptic Orthodox Synaxarium (Book of Saints)]
*St. [[Nikolai Velimirovic]], ''The [[Prologue of Ohrid]]''
== External Links ==
