Blessed Mark was born in 1425 in Fonditore, a
municipality of Monte Gallo in the Diocese of Ascoli Piceno in the Marche region
in central Italy. He was the son of the Chiaro Marchio d'Ascoli. He studied
under humanist Enoch d'Ascoli and later at the Universities of Perugia and
Bologna, and his doctorate degrees in law and medicine. From 1448 he worked as a
doctor in Ascoli.
Pressed by his father, he married in 1451 with Chiara de Tibaldeschi, but a year
later, when his father was dead, they separated by mutual agreement to follow
their religious calling. She joined the Poor Clares in Ascoli, while he was
Franciscan (OFM Observants) in Fabriano. This monastery in the Apennines was
named S. Mariae in Valle in Gallo, and Mark is therefore also Mark S. Mariae in
Gallo.
Mark conducted his novitiate in the monastery of L'Eremita Valdisasso near
Fabriano and was ordained a priest, and almost immediately thereafter he was
appointed superior of the Santa Maria de San Severino. It was here that he heard
a voice saying to him: "Go, brother Mark, and preach about love." This was the
dominant theme as he traveled up and down in Italy for 40 years, from Sicily to
the Po Valley. His zeal was indefatigable, and he became one of largest migrant
preachers. He often combined the healing of bodies with the healing of the soul,
and everywhere he went, he tried to make peace between the many factions at that
time tore the nation apart.
He was above all concerned with the poor. Together with the Blessed Bernardin of
Feltre , he was one of the foremost advocates of the charitable pawnshop
business in Italy is known as the Monti di Pietà - Montes pietatis in Latin,
"compassion fund". The first provided small loans to the poor against the
mortgage on items, but evolved to banks for loans with little or no interest. To
establish such an institution in Vicenza, where Saint Mark preached with such
eloquence that all the money that was needed was collected in a day, and the
office was built and opened within a year. Next to the house in Vicenza was
initiated other lending banks and hostels in St. Mark's' incitement, especially
one in Fabriano that a friend of his built, and another in Perugia, founded by
St. James of the Marche .
Just as Mark was friendly towards others, just as he was merciless on himself.
Even in his travels he has not deleted any of his usual penance, and often spent
most of the night in prayer. In Camerino, where the plague ravaged, he assured
the people that it would cease if they repented and did penance. They flocked
around him to confess, and the plague ceased then.
During his term as Provincial, he incorporated in the Marche in the province of
the new crown ready monastery was founded in Camerino by Julius Caesar Varani.
There, he installed the prince's daughter, the Blessed Baptista Varani , and
other nuns from the monastery in Urbino. It is likely that he took over as
spiritual director of Baptista after Blessed Peter Corradini of Mogliano died.
Peter had followed Mark as provincial. One of Baptista letter to Markus is
preserved. She also acquired his spiritual autobiography, and her "Treatise on
Our Lord's spiritual suffering" to him.
Mark fasted in 1496 in Vicenza for the second time with a special glow. In the
midst of Lent, he was seen as he gathered all his belongings together in a small
bundle, as if he were going out on the road. The same evening he was sick. On
his deathbed he asked to read the history of Christ's suffering, and by the
words: A inclinato Capita emisit spiritum ("He bowed his head and gave up the
ghost"), he died on 19 March 1496 in Vicenza.
He was buried in the abbey church of St. Blasius (San Biagio). When the
community moved to the city, his relics were moved to a chapel in the new
church, which was dedicated to him. He was beatified on May 20. September 1839
when his cult was confirmed by Pope Gregory XVI (1831-1946). His memorial day is
20 March, since March 19 is the feast of St. Joseph .