Martyrdom and Miracles

Long before Egypt, tradition says St. Mark faced a big test near the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized (Mark 1:9). As a young man, some say in his 20s, he traveled with his father, Aristopolus, by the river. Suddenly, a lion and lioness leaped out, growling fiercely. Aristopolus cried, “Run, Mark!”—but Mark stood brave. He prayed, “Christ, protect us!” In a flash, the beasts fell still, as if asleep, by God’s power. Amazed, Aristopolus knelt, and some say Mark baptized him in the Jordan.

This miracle was a sign of Mark’s faith in Christ. Copts say it gave him his lion nickname, a symbol of courage seen in icons at St. Mark’s Cathedral, Cairo. Ethiopian stories link his power to saints like St. Takla Haymanot. Mark didn’t use a sword—he trusted Christ, turning danger into victory. For Orthodox children, it’s like a superhero move, showing how prayer, taught in Sunday school, can tame anything wild through God’s might.