The feast day of St. Mark of Arethusa is celebrated on March 29.
St. Mark was a priest in Syria during the reign of Constantine. He became the Bishop of Arethan. There were many conversions to Christianity during this time. Mark undertook the challenge of transforming pagan temples into Christian churches. He faced resistance, however his gentle demeanor, compassion and humility made it possible. However, when Emperor Julian the Apostate succeeded the throne the advances of Christianity came to a sudden halt and persecutions began.
A mob turned on St. Mark. The mob demanded that he pay to have the temple rebuilt. When he refused, they tortured him. They cut off his ears, stripped him naked, smeared him with honey and bound him to a tree for wasps, mosquitoes and hornets to eat. He still refused to pay for the temple to be rebuilt. His endurance impressed the people who began to feel sorry for him. They eventually set him free. Many people who had left the faith because of Emperor Julian began to return to the faith.
St. Mark died on March 28, 389.
Our discovery of God is, in a way, God’s discovery of us. We cannot go to heaven to find Him because we have no way of knowing where heaven is or what it is, He comes down from Heaven and finds us.
Quote of Thomas Merton
March is the Month of St. Joseph