MARK THE EVANGELIST, Saint. — Disciple of St. Peter and St. Paul, author of the second Gospel.
I. THE EVANGELIST
The Evangelist’s full name was “John surnamed M.” (Acts 12:12, 25; 15:37). Sometimes he is called simply “John” (ibid. 5, 13), more often only “M.” (ibid. 15:39; Col. 4:10; Philem. 24; 1 Pt. 5:13); he therefore bore a Hebrew name and a Latin nickname.All ancient writers and the majority of modern scholars hold that John-M. is to be identified with the M. to whom the second Gospel is attributed. Among Catholics who distinguished John-M., disciple of Peter, from M., disciple of Paul, are: G. Baronius, Maldonado, Patrizzi, Danko and, more recently, D. De Bruyne (in Revue bénédictine, 40 [1928], pp. 201–204); among Protestants: Grotius and Schleiermacher. But the data concerning the M. of Peter and the M. of Paul can easily be reconciled.
His mother was named Mary; she lived in Jerusalem, in the house where later the faithful gathered and where Peter went after his release from prison (Acts 12:12). Since St. Peter calls him “M., my son” (1 Pt. 5:13), it is probable that Peter baptized him personally.
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(from British Museum, The Codex Alexandrinus, London 1910)