St Mark The Apostle and
St Ignatius of Antioch
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Studying the Lives and Writings of
the Saints
“Blessed is he who plants in his soul good plants,
that is, the virtues and the lives of the saints.”
(St. Ephraim the Syrian)
“Just as painters,..., so too he who is eager to make
himself perfect in all kinds of virtue must gaze
upon the lives of the saints as upon statutes, so to
speak, that move and act, and must make their
excellence his own by imitation.”
(St. Basil the Great, Letter II to St. Gregory)
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Church History-1st Century
St. Mark the Apostle
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Church History-1st Century
St. Mark the Apostle
Outline
+Short Biography
+ God’s purpose in Saint’s life
+Achievements
+Main events during that period
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Church History-1st Century
St. Mark the Apostle
Biography
+ Born in Cyrene of Pentapolis (Now Libya) about 15
AD, Relocated to Judea as child.
+ Witnessed our Lord’s Preaching and Passion.
+ One of the seventy Apostles.
+ Came to Alexandria ca. 61(55) AD, preached 1st to
Anianus (became his successor).
+ Martyred in Alexandria in 68 AD.
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Church History-1st Century
St. Mark the Apostle
God’s Purpose in St. Mark’s Life
+ Move from Cyrene to Palestine
+ His mother, Mary,(His father’s name Aristobolos)
was prominent among women who served the
Lord. In their house: 1st Eucharist, apostles met
after Christ’s Crucifixion, Holy Spirit descended
on Pentecost, 1st Christian Church.
+ Related to Sts. Peter (cousin to Aristobolos),
Thomas (brother to Aristobolos), and
Barnabas(brother to Mary).
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Church History-1st Century
St. Mark the Apostle
God’s Purpose in St. Mark’s Life, cont.
+ Taught by Gamaliel (similar to St. Paul).
+ Was present at 1st Council in Jerusalem 52 AD.
+ Went to Cyprus after Barnabas’ disagreement
with Paul.
+ From Cyprus to Pentapolis, then Alexandria, and
back to Pentapolis, then to Rome at St. Paul’s
invitation,
+ Returned to Alexandria and martyred 68 AD.
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Church History-1st Century
St. Mark the Apostle
Some of St. Mark’s Achievements
+ Preached with Sts. Peter, Barnabas, and Paul
+ Brought Christianity to Africa
+ Wrote the Gospel after St. Mark (1st written)
+ Divine Liturgy after St. Mark (St. Cyril’s)
+ Established Theological School of Alexandria
+ His main titles: the Evangelist, the Apostle, the
Witness (who saw the Lord), and the Martyr.
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Church History-1st Century
Main Events during that Period
+ Spread of Christianity over the Roman Empire
+ Fierceness of persecution during Nero’s reign and
successors
+ Martyrdom of Sts. Paul and Peter 67 AD
+ Martyrdom of St. Ignatius of Antioch
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Church
st
History-1

Century
Famous Church Fathers

(of the 1st Century)
•
Clement of Rome
•
Ignatius Bishop of Antioch
•
Polycarp bishop of Smyrna
•
Ref=> http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/
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Church History-1st Century
St. Ignatius of Antioch
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Church History-1st Century
St. Ignatius of Antioch
+ Bishop of Antioch AD 67-107(Theodoret
reported that St. Peter himself
appointed Ignatius to the see of
Antioch).
+ Child set by our Lord before the
Apostles (Mt. 18: 1-4).
+ Known as Theophorus “God-bearer”.
+ The boy who gave the loaves and fishes
(Jn6:9).
+ Of his writings 7 letters exist.
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Church History-1st Century
St. Ignatius of Antioch
+His
seven letters (To the Ephesians,
Magnesians, Trallians, Romans,
Philadelphians, Smyrnaeans, and
Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna) were
written during his journey to Rome
to be thrown to the wild beasts.
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Church History-1st Century
St. Ignatius of Antioch
Of St. Ignatius’ Sayings:
+” Where the Bishop is present, there
the people shall gather” (Jn 10:3-5)
+ “ Take heed, then, to have but one
Eucharist. For there is one flesh of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup
to the unity of His blood; one alter”
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Church History-1st Century
St. Ignatius of Antioch
+In his letter to the Romans he said "I am afraid
that your love may be harmful. If you wish
to prevent my death, that will not be
difficult for you. But allow me to be
slaughtered wherever the altar has been
prepared . I am wheat which must be
ground, to make bread, to be offered to
Jesus Christ. Whenever the people will not
behold me anymore, I will behold our Lord
Jesus Christ."
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