The sign of the lion stands on New Road welcoming Christians to worship at St Marks Church. On April 25th 2007, St Marks Day, we celebrate fifty years of worship on this site since the opening of the original hall-church.
Traditionally Mark, our patron, has been identified with John Mark whose mother's house in Jerusalem was a meeting place for the Apostles and also with the young man described in Mark 14:51 who followed Christ after his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane but escaped capture. He was dressed only in a linen cloth but ran away naked leaving the cloth behind.
Mark accompanied Barnabas, his cousin, and Paul on their first missionary journey but Mark turned back at Perga in Pamphylia for Jerusalem. Barnabas and Mark later preached together in Cyprus. Peter speaks of Mark as a dearly loved son, which accords well with the traditional ascription to Mark of a Gospel which represented the teaching and memoirs of Peter, whose interpreter scholars say he was. As a result, Mark has taken on a new value as being closest in time to the historical Jesus. Mark developed into an effective missionary and consequently became a valued companion of the Apostle Paul. Later when Paul was captive in Rome, Mark was with him. It is likely that the Gospel of Mark was written in Italy, perhaps at Rome c.65-75 AD. Eusebius records Mark at Alexandria where he became the first bishop. Mark is said to have been martyred in the eighth year of Nero's reign and his relics are now believed to be housed within St Marks Basilica in Venice.
Today many scholars acknowledge that the second Gospel in the New Testament was actually the first of the four Gospels to be written. So when passing the sign of the lion, do remember that St Mark was a brilliant and perspective Christian, being the first among equals