Every year, on April 26, the Church joyfully celebrates the feast of Saint Mark of León, one of the four evangelists and a privileged witness to the first steps of the nascent Church. His figure appears in the New Testament as a disciple close to the apostles, especially Saint Peter the Apostle and Saint Paul the Apostle, and his testimony was captured in the shortest Gospel, but also one of the most vivid and direct.
To accompany the faithful on the path of prayer and encounter with this great saint, our publishing house Paulinas presents the Novena to Saint Mark of León , a simple and profound spiritual proposal that allows one to approach his figure, meditate on the Word of God, and renew Christian commitment in daily life. More than a prayer manual, this novena aims to become an experience of faith, a spiritual journey that invites us to discover how the message of the Gospel continues to transform lives today.
A disciple from the beginnings of the Church.
The New Testament writings allow us to know some aspects of Mark's life. In different passages, he appears with different names: John, John Mark, or simply Mark. This double denomination reflects something very common in the 1st century AD world. Many Jews living in territories of the Roman Empire had a Hebrew name and a Latin or Hellenized one.
According to biblical tradition, Mark was the son of a woman named Mary, whose house was located in Jerusalem and was an important place for the first Christian community. The Book of Acts narrates that when Peter was miraculously freed from prison, he went precisely to this house where many Christians were gathered in prayer (cf. Acts 12:12).
This detail reveals something very significant: Mark's faith was born in the midst of a community that prayed, shared, and lived the Gospel intensely. The early Church was not an abstract reality, but a family of believers who experienced the living presence of Christ together. Mark, therefore, grew up in a profoundly Christian environment and soon began to actively participate in the mission.
Companion of the first missionaries
Young Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas for a time on their first missionary journey. However, at one point he returned alone to Jerusalem, which caused some tension with Paul when he was preparing for a new mission (cf. Acts 15:36-39). This episode reveals something very human: the first disciples also experienced difficulties, misunderstandings, and processes of growth.
Holiness is not born of immediate perfection, but of persevering faithfulness. Over time, these tensions that were part of their daily journeys came to a good end. In fact, in the second letter to Timothy, Paul asks Mark to visit him, writing: "he is very useful to me for ministry" (cf. 2 Tim 4:11). This brief phrase shows that the young disciple had matured in his vocation and had become a valuable collaborator for the Church's mission.
The disciple close to Peter
Christian tradition has also preserved a very important fact: Mark was Peter's interpreter and collaborator. The earliest testimonies of the Church affirm that Mark's Gospel collects the preaching of the Apostle Peter. That is, the evangelist wrote down what the apostle announced about the life and mission of Jesus. This explains Mark's Gospel: which is characterized by being very direct and objective, shows us a walking Jesus, and through narrative styles, allows us to glimpse how the Kingdom of God is woven into the everyday and simple things of life.
As we read the pages of this Gospel, it seems as if we are listening to a witness who remembers what he saw and heard. It is no coincidence that Peter refers to Mark with a very affectionate expression: "my son" (1 Pet 5:13). This detail reveals a deep, almost familial, spiritual relationship.
The gospel of strength and hope.
Mark's Gospel is the shortest of the four gospels, but it possesses a particular intensity. It was probably written in Rome around 60 or 70 AD, for Christian communities largely composed of people from paganism. These communities lived in difficult times, marked by persecutions and trials. In that context, the gospel presents Jesus as the Lord who acts with power and mercy, who frees, heals, and calls to follow him with courage.
Mark especially emphasizes Jesus' actions: his gestures, his miracles, his closeness to the poor, and his surrender on the cross. Reading this gospel is encountering a living Christ, who continues to walk alongside his people.
The symbol of the lion
Christian tradition represents Saint Mark with a winged lion, a symbol taken from the book of Revelation (cf. Rev 4:6-7). The lion evokes the strength of the prophetic voice that announces the truth of God. It is also related to the beginning of Mark's Gospel, where John the Baptist appears proclaiming in the desert, like a powerful voice preparing the way of the Lord. Thus, the lion becomes a symbol of a courageous proclamation of the Gospel. Saint Mark reminds us that faith is not lived in silence, but is announced with life, with courage, and with hope.
A novena to renew faith
Inspired by the life and testimony of the evangelist, the Novena to Saint Mark of León offers the faithful a simple way to deepen their prayer. It proposes for each day:
- A biblical illumination corresponding to each day of the novena.
- A spiritual reflection that leads to a deeper understanding of the life and mission of this great saint.
- Space for a particular intention.
- Moment for encounter with God.
- Prayer and joys.
This novena can be prayed individually, as a family, or in community, and is designed to accompany the daily lives of believers. It is not simply about repeating formulas, but about opening one's heart so that God can act in our lives through the intercession of this great saint.
Christian tradition has always valued novenas as a way of preparing the heart for a special grace. For nine days, the believer disposes the heart in an attitude of listening, trust, and perseverance. In that process, Saint Mark appears as a close intercessor, a disciple who knows the challenges of the mission and accompanies those who wish to live the Gospel faithfully.
A prayer that transforms life
The novena reminds us of something essential to the Christian path: faith is not limited to asking for favors, but rather it impels us to live as true disciples. In the Gospel, we find an important key. Before performing some miracles, Jesus said: "According to your faith let it be done to you" (Mt 9:29). Christian prayer is born precisely from this deep trust in God. Therefore, praying this novena also means renewing the commitment to live the Gospel in daily life: specifically in the family, in our workplace, in our communities, with the mission that every gesture and work be done with love and service.
Saint Mark today: called to be disciples who proclaim
The testimony of Saint Mark remains relevant today. In a world where many people seek meaning, hope, and comfort, the Gospel continues to be Good News for all. Just as Mark wrote down Peter's preaching so that others might know Christ, today every believer is called to transmit the joy of the Gospel. This can be done in many ways:
- Sharing faith in the family.
- Accompanying those who suffer most.
- Announcing Christian hope amidst so many wars and despair.
- Living Jesus' message consistently.
- The Gospel is not just a book to be read: it is a life to be shared.
A path of faith for our days
The Novena to Saint Mark of León aims to be precisely that: a small path of faith for those who wish to draw closer to God. Through its prayers and meditations, the faithful can discover the spiritual richness of this great evangelist and be inspired by his courage and fidelity. Ultimately, Saint Mark's message is simple and profoundly radical: Christ lives, acts, and transforms history . Whoever encounters Him is never the same again.
In preparation for the feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist, Paulinas invites all the faithful to approach this novena and live these days as a time of prayer, trust, and spiritual renewal. Praying with Saint Mark, we will learn to listen to the Word, to trust in God's action, and to proclaim the Gospel with joy. Because, as the Gospel itself reminds us, the mission continues and every believer is called to be a witness to the hope that comes from Christ.
The Novena to Saint Mark of León is now available in our bookstores and distribution points. It is a wonderful opportunity to prepare the heart, strengthen faith, and walk alongside one of the great witnesses of the Gospel. May the intercession of Saint Mark help us to live our Christian vocation with courage and to announce, with the strength of the lion of the Gospel, that Jesus Christ continues to be the Good News for the world.
Prayer
Oh blessed Saint Mark, you who, through the conquests of preaching, opened the gates of heaven to many who did not know Jesus Christ and who were in the darkness of ignorance and sin, we implore you that by meditating on the Good News of the Gospel, we may always follow the example of Jesus Christ. The Word made flesh in the womb of Most Holy Mary, and with docility, we abandon ourselves to the providence of God to be authentic witnesses of His love.
Amen.
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