The Church of St. Mark

Holy Land Christian Tours give visitors the chance to experience some of the original ancient sites of important locations in the history of Christianity. The Church of St. Mark is one such location, having been built on the site of the first Christian church in the Holy City, which belongs to the Syriac Orthodox-one of the most ancient denominations of Christians in the Holy Land. The century is approximately 8 centuries old, which is quite impressive. It is sometimes said that the first time people spoke in tongues (Acts 2:1) actually took place at John Mark's house (Acts12:13) rather than nearby Mount Zion. Visitors to St. Mark's note the 6th century inscription in the sanctuary that says, "this is the house of Mary mother of John Mark". It goes on to further explain that the house was brought to ruins in 70 AD, having been rebuilt and used as a prayer house 2 years later. Those on Holy Land tours can see that the inscription is actually written in Syriac, which is a language similar to the Aramaic that Jesus spoke that is still spoken in the surrounding community!