Mark is one of the four evangelists. His Gospel is thought to be the nearest in time to the life of Jesus. His symbol as an evangelist is a winged lion.
Mark is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, and was important as a missionary, taking Christianity to Cyprus and Alexandria before settling in Rome, where he perhaps wrote his gospel. He is the patron saint of Venice; his remains were thought to have been transferred there from Alexandria in 829. The city uses his symbol of the winged lion.