St. Mark the Evangelist (The Greater Litanies)

St. Mark was a disciple of St. Peter and the author of the Second Gospel under the inspiration of the latter. He was martyred in Alexandria in 80.

The Procession of the Greater Litanies, followed by the Rogation Mass, has no connection with the Feast of St. Mark as such. The Litany of the Saints, the Psalms, and the Prayers sung during the procession on this day are supplications. The object of these supplications is to appease the anger of God and avert the scourges of his justice, and to pray for the harvest.

Various items of interest: I completed my first exam this afternoon (German); the Tigers scored an average of 12.33 runs per game against the Rangers in their latest series; and, most exciting of all, we are taking Maria to the oldest zoo in Europe, the "Tiergarten" at Schloss Schoenbrunn - summer residence of the Habsburgs and only rival of Versailles amongst European palaces!