The Lion of Saint Mark, representing

Mark the Evangelist Mark the Evangelist (Koine Greek, Koinē Greek: Μᾶρκος, romanized: ''Mârkos''), also known as John Mark (Koine Greek, Koinē Greek language, Greek: Ἰωάννης Μᾶρκος, Romanization of Greek, romanized: ''Iōánnēs Mârkos;'' ...

, pictured in the form of a

winged lion The winged lion is a mythological creature that resembles a lion with bird-like wings. Mythical adaptations The winged lion is found in various forms especially in ancient and medieval civilizations. There were different mythological adaptions ...

, is an aspect of the

Tetramorph A tetramorph is a symbolic arrangement of four differing elements, or the combination of four disparate elements in one unit. The term is derived from the Greek ''tetra'', meaning four, and ''morph'', shape. The word comes from the Greek for "fou ...

. On the pinnacle of St Mark's Cathedral he is depicted as holding a

Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...

, and surmounting a golden lion which is the symbol of the city of

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

and formerly of the

Venetian Republic The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...

. It is also found in the symbol of the

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa (), also known as the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, is an autocephaly, autocephalous patriarchate that is part of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Its seat is in Alexandria, and it ...

. It appears in both merchant and military

naval flags Naval flag may refer to: *Civil ensign *Maritime flag *Naval ensign *Naval jack A jack is a flag flown from a short jackstaff at the bow (front) of a vessel, while the ensign is flown on the stern (rear). Jacks on bowsprits or foremasts a ...

of the

Italian Republic Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. The Lion of Saint Mark is also the symbol of the award of the

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...

, the "

Golden Lion The Golden Lion () is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is regarded as one of the film industry's most prestigious and distinguished prizes. In 1970, a ...

", and of the insurance company

Assicurazioni Generali Assicurazioni Generali S.p.A. ( , ; meaning 'general insurances') or commonly known as Generali Group is an Italian insurance company based in Trieste. As of 2022, it is the largest insurance company in Italy and ranks among the world's largest i ...

Symbolism

The representation as a lion is derived from Mark's description of John the Baptist as "...The voice of the one who cries in the wilderness: Prepare Ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths", which artists compared to a roaring lion."St. Mark the Apostle, the Founder of the Coptic Church", Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States
/ref> The wings come from Ezekiel 1:10 and the application of the prophet's vision of four winged creatures to the evangelists. These appear again in Revelation 4:7. A second connection of Mark and lions comes from a tale recounted by

Severus ibn al-Muqaffa Severus ibn al-Muqaffaʿ (; died 987) or Severus of El Ashmunein () was a Coptic Orthodox bishop, author and historian. Severus is sometimes confused with the Persian author Abdullah ibn al-Muqaffa' (d. 759). He was bishop of Hermopolis Magna i ...

: "Once a lion and lioness appeared to John Mark and his father Apostalis while they were traveling in

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

. The father was very scared and begged his son to escape, while he awaited his fate. John Mark assured his father that Jesus Christ would save them and began to pray. The two beasts fell dead and as a result of this miracle, the father believed in Christ." In some depictions the lion rests his front paws on the ground, often in cities with rivers or in ones close to water, indicating the Venetian balanced power on land and sea. 20110722 Column of the Lion Venice 4467

Mark and Venice

Venetian tradition states that when Mark was traveling through Europe, he arrived at a lagoon in Venice, whereby an

angel An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in variou ...

appeared to him and said, "" ("Peace be with thee, O Mark, my evangelist. Here thy body will rest."). This tradition was used as justification by Rustico da Torcello and Bon da Malamocco in 828 for stealing the remains of Mark from his grave in

Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...

, and moving them to Venice, where they were eventually interred in the

Basilica of St. Mark The Patriarchal Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mark (), commonly known as St Mark's Basilica (; ), is the cathedral church of the Patriarchate of Venice; it became the episcopal seat of the Patriarch of Venice in 1807, replacing the earlier cathed ...

. A fifteen-foot bronze statue of a lion stands atop a column of Egyptian granite in St. Mark's Square. It was brought to the lagoon during the 12th century, and remained there until Napoleon moved it to Paris. Returned in 1815, it fell and was rebuilt. It was moved from its pedestal only at the end of the 1800s for restoration and during the Second World War for safekeeping. The Lion underwent careful restoration work in the 1990s. Restorers believe its body is roughly 2,300 years old.Wills, Garry
Venice: Lion City
''The New York Times'', September 30, 2001 There are also lions carved in relief on the façade of the

Doge's Palace The Doge's Palace (''Doge'' pronounced ; ; ) is a palace built in Venetian Gothic architecture, Venetian Gothic style, and one of the main landmarks of the city of Venice in northern Italy. The palace included government offices, a jail, and th ...

, and at the

Scuola Grande di San Marco The Scuola Grande di San Marco is a building in Venice, Italy, designed by the well-known Venetian architects Pietro Lombardo, Mauro Codussi, and Bartolomeo Bon. It was originally the home to one of the Scuole Grandi of Venice, or six major conf ...

A common theme in venetian art, it was also present in armoury worn by noblemen. The coats of arms of Popes

Pius X Pope Pius X (; born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto; 2 June 1835 – 20 August 1914) was head of the Catholic Church from 4 August 1903 to his death in August 1914. Pius X is known for vigorously opposing Modernism in the Catholic Church, modern ...

John XXIII Pope John XXIII (born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli; 25 November 18813 June 1963) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 28 October 1958 until his death on 3 June 1963. He is the most recent pope to take ...

, and

John Paul I Pope John Paul I (born Albino Luciani; 17 October 1912 – 28 September 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 26 August 1978 until his death 33 days later. His reign is among the shortest in papal h ...

contain the Lion of St. Mark in recognition of their previous positions as Patriarchs of Venice. It is also visible in several places in the

Giuliano-Dalmata Giuliano-Dalmata is the 31st of Rome, identified by the initials Q. XXXI. Its name refers to the Venezia Giulia, Julian, Istrian exodus, Istrian and Dalmatian refugees that settled there in the postwar period. History Born in the 1930s as '' ...

area of Rome (including the church of

San Marco Evangelista in Agro Laurentino San Marco Evangelista in Agro Laurentino is a Catholic church in Rome, Italy on the Piazza Giuliani e Dalmati in the Giuliano-Dalmata quarter. The dedication to Saint Mark alludes to the presence in the area of Istrian and Dalmatian refugees (who ...

), which was settled by refugees from the

Julian March The Julian March ( Croatian and ), also called Julian Venetia (; ; ; ), is an area of southern Central Europe which is currently divided among Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia.

(formerly Venetian territory) after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The name of the Lion of Saint Mark in the

Venetian language Venetian, also known as wider Venetian or Venetan ( or ), is a Romance languages, Romance language spoken natively in the northeast of Italy,Ethnologue mostly in Veneto, where most of the five million inhabitants can understand it. It is som ...

is .

Depictions

The Venetian lion appears in two distinct forms. One is as a winged animal resting on water, to symbolise dominance over the seas, holding St. Mark's Gospel under a paw. These animals can be seen all around the Mediterranean, usually on top of a classical stone column.Robinson, Myra, "The Lions of Venice"
, ''Italy Magazine'', July 14, 2011 The other form is known as the lion "in moleca", in the form of a crab. Here the lion is depicted full-faced with its wings circled around the head and resembling the claws of a crustacean. It is emerging from water, so that the lion "in moleca" is associated with the lagoon and the city, whereas the standing winged lion is thought to be more associated with Venetian territory around the Mediterranean. The Latin words engraved on the book are ''Pax Tibi Marce Evangelista Meus'', which means ''Peace unto you, Mark, my Evangelist''. Other elements often included in depictions of the lion include a halo over his head, a book, or a sword in its paws. In British heraldry, "Lion of St. Mark" is commonly used to refer to all winged lions. These figures are depicted in arms as both passant and, more commonly, sejant, and also appear as supporters. The heraldist

Arthur Charles Fox-Davies Arthur Charles Fox-Davies (28 February 1871 – 19 May 1928) was a British expert on heraldry. His ''Complete Guide to Heraldry'', published in 1909, has become a standard work on heraldry in England. A barrister by profession, Fox-Davies worke ...

, however, defined the true Lion of St. Mark as being one used specifically within religious badges to signify the saint, and to have a

halo HALO, halo, halos or haloes may refer to: Most common meanings * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head * ''Halo'' (franchise), a sci-fi video game series (2001–2021) Arts and en ...

Gallery

File:Flag of the Republic of Venice (Mid-14th century).svg, Flag of the Republic of Venice (mid-14th century) File:Flag of Republic of Venice (1659-1675).svg,

Flag of the Republic of Venice The Flag of the Republic of Venice, commonly known as the Banner or Standard of Saint Mark (''stendardo di San Marco''), was the symbol of the Republic of Venice, until its Fall of the Republic of Venice, dissolution in 1797. Its main Charge (h ...

File:Flag of Veneto.svg, Flag of the

Veneto Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...

Region File:Venezia-Stemma.svg, Arms of

File:Naval jack of Italy.svg, Jack of the

Italian Navy The Italian Navy (; abbreviated as MM) is one of the four branches of Italian Armed Forces and was formed in 1946 from what remained of the ''Regia Marina'' (Royal Navy) after World War II. , the Italian Navy had a strength of 30,923 active per ...

File:MBoschini Il regno tutto di Candia.jpg, 1651 map depicting the Lion of St Mark over

Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...

File:Venetian medal conquest of Moreas.jpg, Medal for the

conquest Conquest involves the annexation or control of another entity's territory through war or Coercion (international relations), coercion. Historically, conquests occurred frequently in the international system, and there were limited normative or ...

of the

Morea Morea ( or ) was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The name was used by the Principality of Achaea, the Byzantine province known as the Despotate of the Morea, by the O ...

Francesco Morosini Francesco Morosini (26 February 1619 – 16 January 1694) was the Doge of Venice from 1688 to 1694, at the height of the Great Turkish War. He was one of the many Doges and generals produced by the Venetian noble Morosini family.Encyclopæd ...

File:Flag of the Republic of San Marco.svg, Flag of the Republic of San Marco (1848) File:DEU Oberickelsheim COA.svg, Arms of Oberickelsheim File:John paul 1 coa.svg, Coat of Arms of

Pope John Paul I Pope John Paul I (born Albino Luciani; 17 October 1912 – 28 September 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 26 August 1978 until his death 33 days later. His reign is among the shortest in papal h ...

File:Coat of arms of Republic of Venice.svg, Coat of Arms of the

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...

File:Lion of Saint Mark statant guardant.svg, Lion of St. Mark seen on the Venetian Coat of Arms File:Arms of Montenegro.svg, Lion of St. Mark seen on the

coat of arms of Montenegro The coat of arms of Montenegro () was officially adopted by the law passed in the Assembly of Montenegro, Parliament on 12 July 2004. It is now the central motif of the flag of Montenegro, as well as the coat of arms of the Armed Forces of Monten ...

File:Wappen Marxzell.svg, Arms of

Marxzell Marxzell is a municipality in the district of Karlsruhe in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Geography Marxzell is located on the Alb (Albtal) and on the heights of the North Black Forest (German ''Nordschwarzwald''). Marxzell is an amalgamation ...

File:Blason de la ville de Saint-Marc-Jaumegarde (13).svg, Arms of

Saint-Marc-Jaumegarde Saint-Marc-Jaumegarde (; Provençal: ''Sant Marc de Jaumegarda'') is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France. Location It is located 6 kilometres away from Aix-en-Provence and Vauvenargues, Bouches-du-Rhône, and ...

File:Flag of the Septinsular Republic.svg, Flag of the

Septinsular Republic The Septinsular Republic (; ), also known as the Republic of the Seven United Islands, was an oligarchic republic that existed from 1800 to 1807 under nominal Russian and Ottoman sovereignty in the Ionian Islands (Corfu, Paxoi, Lefkada, Cephalon ...

File:Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands.svg, Flag of the

United States of the Ionian Islands The United States of the Ionian Islands was a Greeks, Greek state (polity), state and Protectorate#Amical_protection, amical protectorate of the United Kingdom between 1815 and 1864. The succession of states, successor state of the Septinsular R ...

File:Lion of St Mark, Famagusta.jpg, Lion of St. Mark in

Othello Castle Othello Castle (, ), also known as Othello's Tower, is a castle in Famagusta, Northern Cyprus. It was built by the Lusignans in the 14th century, and was later modified by the Venetians. The modern name of the castle comes from a stage note in ...

Famagusta Famagusta, also known by several other names, is a city located on the eastern coast of Cyprus. It is located east of the capital, Nicosia, and possesses the deepest harbour of the island. During the Middle Ages (especially under the maritime ...

, Cyprus File:San_Marco_cathedral_in_Venice.JPG, Detail of the rooftop of St Mark's Cathedral in Venice. File:Chioggia_Porta_Santa_Maria_R06.jpg, Lion of Saint Mark on the ''Porta di Santa Maria'' in

Chioggia Chioggia (; , ; ) is a coastal town and (municipality) of the Metropolitan City of Venice in the Veneto region of northern Italy. Geography The town is located on a small island at the southern entrance to the Venetian Lagoon about sou ...

File:Lion of St Mark outside Bishop's Palace -- Galveston, Texas.jpg, Lion of St Mark outside

Bishop's Palace A bishop's palace is a form of ecclesiastical architecture constituting the official residence of a bishop.The term was not used in the British Isles until the Church of England was restructured following the Norman Conquest of 1066 AD. However, th ...

Galveston Galveston ( ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal resort town, resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island (Texas), Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a pop ...

, Texas File:אריה מכונף על חלק העליון של הבניין גנרלי.JPG, Lion of St. Mark with plaque atop the Generali Building in

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

File:Ansaldo SVA5 11721 (6401327535).jpg, Lion of St. Mark from the

Ansaldo SVA The Ansaldo SVA (named for Savoia-Verduzio-Ansaldo) was a family of Italian reconnaissance biplane aircraft of World War I and the decade after. Originally conceived as a fighter, the SVA was found inadequate for that role. Its impressive spe ...

aircraft of the 87ma squadriglia ''La Serenissima'', made famous for the

Flight over Vienna The Flight over Vienna was an air raid during World War I undertaken by Italian poet and nationalist Gabriele D'Annunzio on 9 August 1918. With 11 Ansaldo SVA aircraft from his team, the 87ma ''squadriglia'' (squadron) called ''La Serenissim ...

. File:U.S. Army Africa Shoulder Sleeve Insignia.svg,

United States Army Africa United States Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) is an Army Service Component Command (ASCC) /Theater Army responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICO ...

Insignia in

Caserma Ederle Caserma Ederle (Camp Ederle) is a military complex in Vicenza, Italy, where the United States Army has troops stationed. It is under Italian military control and can be managed anytime by the Italian authorities. The Vicenza Military Communit ...

File:332shoulderinsignia.jpg, Sleeve insignia of the US

332nd Infantry Regiment (United States) The 332nd Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, active during World War I. It was initially part of the 83rd Division, but was detached to serve on the Italian front during the war, taking part in the Battle of V ...

, which served alongside Italian troops in WW1 File:Coat_of_аrms_of_Yerevan.svg,

Seal of Yerevan The Emblem of Yerevan, the capital and largest city of Armenia, shows a winged Erebuni Fortress, Erebuni lion with a bronze shield having a blue circumference. The lion has the tree of life as a crown, holds a power staff, and has a shield encomp ...

File:Coat of arms of Tajikistan 1992-1993.svg,

Tajikistan Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, south, Uzbekistan to ...

(1992–1993) File:Emblem of Samarkand.svg, Emblem of Samarkand (Uzbekistan) File:Albert Hastings Markham's sledge flag.svg, Sledge flag used by

Albert Hastings Markham Admiral Sir Albert Hastings Markham (11 November 1841 – 28 October 1918) was a British explorer, author, and officer in the Royal Navy. In 1903 he was invested as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. He is also remembered for designi ...

during the

British Arctic Expedition The British Arctic Expedition of 1875–1876, led by Sir George Nares, was sent by the Admiralty (United Kingdom), British Admiralty to attempt to reach the North Pole via Smith Sound on the west coast of Greenland. Although the expedition fail ...

(1875–1876)Barbara Tomlinson. "Chivalry at the Poles: British Sledge Flags" (PDF file). ''Flag Institute''.

References

External links