MARK, Bishop of Aretusa. - A follower of Arius, he took part in 341 in the Council of Antioch, and the following year he was part of the legation that went to Trier to Constantius.

In 343 he was with the Eastern faction assembled at Philippopolis, after having abandoned the Council of Sardica, and he also took part in the Synod of 351 against Photinus. In 359 he drafted the Homoian formula approved at the Council of Rimini, and then took part in the Council of Seleucia. During the pagan restoration under Julian the Apostate he was subjected to atrocious torments by his fellow citizens because he had destroyed a temple. He was still alive in 363, but must have died shortly thereafter.

St. Gregory Nazianzen and Theodoret praise him for his zeal for religion, extol his wisdom and piety, and call him full of every virtue. The Greek Church honors him as a martyr and commemorates him on 28 March.

Bibliography6 works

BIBL.: Sozomen, Hist. eccl., V, 10; Theodoret, Hist. eccl., III, 3; St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oratio IV, 88-90; PG 35, 616-21; Tillemont, VII, 367-70; Synax. Costantinop., p. 565 ff.

Agostino Amore

@incollection{ec8_marco_vescovo_di_aretusa, author = {Amore, Agostino}, title = {Marco, vescovo di aretusa}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VIII}, pages = {38}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/marco-vescovo-di-aretusa} }

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Mark, Bishop of Aretusa

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