Why is Evangelist Mark symbolized by a lion?

The Gospel according to Saint Mark reveals nothing about its author. Neither an Apostle nor a famous man, Saint Mark remains a mystery. The oldest tradition, dating back to Irenaeus of Lyon who died in 202, asserts that Mark the Evangelist was a disciple and interpreter of the Apostle Peter. He transcribed Peter's preaching and catechesis, particularly aimed at early Christians in Rome. His language, Greek, was the most widespread at the time. His narrative aims to demonstrate the power of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, through the many miracles he performed.

Saint Mark in the Acts of the Apostles

In Chapter 12 of the Acts of the Apostles, there is mention of a "John," also called "Mark" in Jerusalem: "He (Peter) went to the house of Mary, the mother of John also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying." Later in the Acts, we learn that this "John-Mark" becomes a disciple of Paul (Acts 13:5). "John also known as Mark" accompanies him on his missions to the Gentiles (Acts 15:37). Saint Paul mentions him in his letter to the Colossians (Col 4:10), saying he is close to him in Rome. Saint Peter, in his first letter, refers to him as a close companion: "[The Church] who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark" (1 Peter 5:13). After Peter's death, Mark’s whereabouts become unknown. An ancient tradition claims he evangelized in Egypt and founded the Church of Alexandria.

When did the tradition of associating symbols with the Evangelists begin?

The Church Fathers linked the Evangelists to the four winged creatures from the vision of the prophet Ezekiel: a human face, a lion's face, an ox's face, and an eagle's face (Ezekiel 1:1-14) and to the "four living creatures" of Revelation (Revelation 4:7-8). Irenaeus of Lyon (circa 180) is the first known author to connect the "living creatures" of Revelation with the Evangelists—Mark with the lion, and John with the eagle, in his work "Against Heresies" (III, 11,8).

This symbolic association became established in tradition by the 4th century and it was Saint Jerome who, in his Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, linked the "living creatures" to the Evangelists: the winged man to Matthew, the lion to Mark, the ox to Luke, and the eagle to John. He justified his interpretation based on the opening verses of each gospel: "The first face, that of a man, denotes Matthew, who seems to write the history of a man" (Matthew 1:1-16); "the face of the lion denotes Mark, who echoes the voice of the roaring lion in the desert" (Mark 1:3); "the third face, that of a young ox, prefigures the Evangelist Luke, who begins his narrative with the priest Zechariah" (Luke 1:1-25); and "the fourth, that of John the Evangelist, who, like eagles, soars even higher to discuss the Word of God" (John 1:1-14).

Saint Mark

It is believed that the Evangelist Mark died between 68 and 72 AD, and his followers buried him in a cave. He had been tortured by the people in Alexandria who opposed his efforts to them away from the worship of their traditional gods. In the 5th century, his relics were moved to a church. According to a legend from 828, two Venetian merchants transported them to Venice, where they were placed in the basilica dedicated to him. Some of his relics are also preserved in Cairo, Egypt, in the Cathedral of Saint Mark, the seat of the Coptic Orthodox Patriarch.

In 1071, the Venice Basilica was placed under the patronage of Saint Mark, and he is the principal patron of the city. His symbol, the winged lion, clutches a book inscribed with: "Pax tibi Marce Evangelista meus," the emblem of the City. It is replicated in several places around the city and erected everywhere the Republic of Venice exerted its economic dominance.