On 25th April, the date of St. Mark’s martyrdom, the patron saint’s festival is held in Venice.
Replacement of the Greek Theodore by St. Mark was a long process. A fundamental landmark was the arrival of Mark’s body in Venice in 828 and its placing in the church dedicated to him.

Possession of the saint’s relics had a powerful impact on the citizens, who felt safe and protected and in time began to worship the patron, but it involved equally important advantages of a diplomatic and political nature that benefited the Republic and its image on the international scene.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Right at the beginnings of Venice and its Republic Saint Mark the Evangelist was chosen as patron saint, side by side with the Virgin.
To understand why, it is worthwhile sketching out the origins pf Venice and St. Mark’s role as patron.
Approximately between 700 and 840 Venice managed to dissociate itself completely from Byzantium. It assumed the dominant role in the whole area around the upper Adriatic basin, comforted by the support, after the Greek Theodore, of the new “Italian” patron St. Mark.
It took a long time for St. Mark to become the patron saint of Venice, just as it did for the formation of the legends connected with him.

The saint’s relics, stolen in Alexandria, were deposited in the first basilica in 828. Placing his body in the new basilica in Venice was fundamental to establishing the figure of St. Mark as patron saint. The most important aspect was possession since it involved the possessors in care, protection and worship of the saint, for which they hoped to receive his protection in return. Exhibiting the relics made participation in worship more effective: it had a protective purpose and a positive psychological impact on the people, making them feel safe and protected.
Through the saints’ intercession with God the people could stand up to all evils. St. Mark protected the Venetians and therefore also their State. Saint Christopher, depicted in a fresco in a great hall of the Ducal Palace, protected sailors and the Adriatic Sea. Saint Sebastian, killed by archers, and Saint Rochus, who had suffered from a sore on his thigh while assisting the sick, became protectors against the plague. In certain places St. Mark was the patron saint of basket-weavers because his body had been brought to Venice in a basket!

Intervention in human affairs by saints, especially the selected patrons, is traditionally manifested by miracles. We have a date for some of these, such as the appearance of Saint Mark’s body from the column in 1094.

Certain aspects of the figure of Saint Mark may be interpreted as backing up a link with Rome and the West rather than with the Eastern Empire. Mark was Saint Peter’s disciple and translator and though the latter was not Roman by birth he was indubitably so through his main mandate as first bishop and founder of theChurch of Rome. Moreover, Mark wrote his Gospel in Rome. So it is fairly easy to assume a symbolic relationship between Mark and the Roman Church.

The choice of Saint Mark as special patron included great diplomatic and political advantages for the Republic. There are twelve apostles but only four evangelists. Possession of the body of a saint who came under both categories was something really exceptional on the international scene. The choice of Saint Mark as patron also allowed the adoption of a simple but powerfully significant State symbol: the lion. State symbols take on great value in terms of propaganda and diplomacy.

It is also interesting to consider how the theological and liturgical mosaic scheme focuses on the theme of Mark. Certain national details based on traditions are highlighted in the rites of the basilica of Saint Mark. The overall mosaic scheme manifests the Catholic centrality of the place where his remains lie. The entire mosaic and inscription system offers, in complete form, an educational panorama of the theology and liturgy of the Roman Church.