Marco of Atina known as Galileo, was a contemporary of Jesus and originally from Galilee.
Having come of age, after a long journey, he arrived in Athens. Here, as a guest of the noble and wealthy Palaziano, the most distinguished in the whole city, who had welcomed the apostle Peter from Antioch to Rome; he was baptised by the apostle and followed him, becoming a close collaborator in his preaching.
He took him with him to Rome, where he began the difficult task of evangelisation. In recognition of the young man’s dedication, Peter rewarded him by appointing him Bishop of Atina.
The Church tells us that when he returned to Athens, he saw a statue of the god Janus, to whom idolatrous worship was paid, and smashed it to pieces with the sign of the cross.
Welcomed into the home of Palaziano, who had lost his wife, he comforted him and, speaking of the transience of mortal life and eternal happiness, converted him and fifty-seven other members of his family to the Christian faith and baptised them.
St Mark’s moved to a temple dedicated to Jupiter, which was near the Palagio di Palaziano, consecrating it in honour of the Prince of the Apostles, who is still remembered today by the Atinati as the first temple of faith. Here, the holy bishop appointed seven priests and as many deacons.
He began to combat paganism by destroying pagan temples and converting more and more people: it is said that he converted five thousand people. In response, the pagan priests reported him to the Roman proconsul Maximus and to the emperor Domitian, who ordered a fierce persecution of Christians.
Despite the bloodshed, Mark continued his pastoral work by urging everyone to have faith and performing numerous miracles.
The martyrdom
To put an end to this resistance, it was decided that he should be captured. On 28 April, after being tortured, he was put on trial and put to death by having nails driven into his head (c. 96). A few years later, Atina was struck by two terrible calamities: drought and an invasion of wolves.
On 1 October, Saint Mark appeared and saved the city, which proclaimed him its patron saint. Every year, to mark the anniversary, the people of Atina honour him with solemn celebrations. (This is a fable)
His mortal remains, which were once kept in the collegiate church Church of Santa Maria in the cemetery, were moved to the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta after the war.
1 October marks the dedication of the cathedral to Our Lady of the Assumption which houses the relics and the statue of the saint following the destruction, during the Second World War, of the church dedicated to him.
Before the Second World War, on 1 October, the statue of the saint was carried in procession to the main church from the church of St Mark’s located at the collegiate church of Santa Maria within the present-day cemetery complex, on the site of which the church of San Pietro was built in the Middle Ages.
