St. Mark, Bishop of Ephesus

January 19: Mark, Bishop of Ephesus

Mark of Ephesus, a 15th century Archbishop of Ephesus, is famous for his defense of Eastern Orthodoxy at the Council of Florence (1438-1445 A.D.) in spite of Byzantine Emperor John VIII Palaeologus and Pope Eugene IV. He held Rome to be in schism and heresy for its acceptance of the Filioque clause added to the Nicene Creed and for the claims of the papacy to universal jurisdiction over the Church, and was thus the only Eastern bishop to refuse to sign the decrees of the council. Therefore Orthodox and Catholic scholars hold him responsible for the termination of the Union of Florence, which Mark regarded as a false union to begin with.

Saint Mark of Ephesus. Image source: Wikipedia, public domain.

Mark was born Emmanuel in 1392 in Constantinople to George, Chief Justice of the Sakellion and Orthodox deacon, and Maria, the daughter of a devout doctor named Luke. Mark learned how to read and write from his father, who died while Mark and his younger brother John were still children.

Mark died at the age of 52 in 1444, after an excruciating two week battle with intestinal illness. On his death bed, Mark implored Georgios Scholarios, his former pupil, who later became Patriarch Gennadius of Constantinople, to be careful of the snares of the West and to defend Orthodoxy. According to his brother John, his last words were "Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, into Thy hands I commit my spirit." Mark was buried in the Mangana Monastery in Constantinople.

There is an account of a posthumous miracle performed by St. Mark of Ephesus. Doctors gave up on trying to save the life of the terminally ill sister of Demetrios Zourbaios, after their efforts had worsened her condition. After losing consciousness for three days she suddenly woke up to the delight of her brother, who asked her why she woke up drenched in water. She related that a bishop escorted her to a fountain and washed her and told her, "Return now; you no longer have any illness." She asked him who he was and he informed her, "I am the Metropolitan of Ephesus, Mark Eugenikos." After being miraculously healed, she made an icon of St. Mark and lived devoutly for another 15 years.

References:
Mark, Bishop of Ephesus — Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
Mark of Ephesus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.