On March 29, everyone who bears the name Mark celebrates a name day.
During the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great (337), when the Christian faith triumphed over paganism, churches were built in many cities, and temples were destroyed. Many Christian bishops then received from the king the right to destroy idol temples, among whom was the Arethusian bishop Mark - a pious, holy and zealous man in spreading the true faith.
Soon terrible unrest began in the empire: soldiers killed many relatives of the king and wanted to kill his nephews Gall and Julian. The Arethusian bishop saved them by hiding them in the church. After the death of Constantine, there were many unrests of another kind; his successor Constantius patronized the Arians heretics and persecuted the orthodox. After Constantius, Julian ascended the throne, the same one whom Bishop Mark had saved from death.
Julian had hated the Christian faith from his youth, which he had feignedly professed under Constantius. When he became emperor, he immediately declared that he supported paganism. He used all means to humiliate, oppress and insult the Christians. Julian issued a decree - that the idol temples destroyed by the Christians should be rebuilt at the expense of those who had destroyed them. The bishop in Arethusa was the same Mark, already old and deeply respected by all for his pious and holy life.
The city authorities asked him for funds to rebuild the temples that he had destroyed under Constantius. The bishop replied that he had no money, but even if he had, he would not give anything for a pagan temple. It was known that he was really poor, and the city authorities, reducing their demands, finally ordered him to contribute a paltry sum, threatening him with punishment in case of disobedience.
Then terrible persecutions began against Christians by the pagans, who were incited by the king. In many cities, the pagan population killed Christians and tortured them cruelly. The elderly bishop was not afraid of the danger and repeated his refusal. Then they handed him over to the enraged people. They beat the holy elder, dragged him through the streets, threw stones at him, tortured him to death, but they could not overcome his steadfastness.
Barely alive, the elder still did not give in. Finally, the city governor saved him from the hands of the torturers. According to the historian Blessed Theodoret, many of the citizens of Arethusa, amazed at the steadfastness of the holy elder, converted to the Christian faith. At the same time, Deacon Cyril also suffered. Many Christians were tortured in various cities of Palestine, Egypt and Syria.
Source: aferahs.com