St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice is the home of Venice’s saint Mark the Evangelist. On January 31st 828 the relics of the Patron Saint were bought from Alexandria by two Venetian merchants and were brought back to Venice to be received by Doge Giustiniano Particiaco. The way they smuggled the relics of Saint Mark out was by hiding them within a shipment of pork which the Muslim guards would not check too thoroughly since they are not permitted to touch pork. Back in those days a relic like the body of St Mark were a powerful economic and social unifier, and attracted both merchants and pilgrims. The relics were accepted into the city since he was the saint who evangelized the people of Veneto, becoming the patron saint of the entire city and influencing the emblem of the city in the form of a winged lion armed with a sword and with a book with the words Pax Tibi Marce Evangelista Meus could be read in peacetime, which meant Peace to you Mark my Evangelist. The emblem also contains a threatening sword which is stained with the blood of war. In its history the basilica has served as a palatine church, chapel of the Ducal Palace, and city cathedral.
"Sezione Dedicated to St. Mark the Evangelist." Sezione Dedicated to St. Mark the Evangelist. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/WAI/eng/storia_societa/sanmarco/sanmarco.bsm>.
"Section Dedicated to the Political and Religious History of St. Mark's Basilica." Section Dedicated to the Political and Religious History of St. Mark's Basilica. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/WAI/eng/storia_societa/chiesa_cattedrale/chiesa_cattedrale.bsm>.
"Sezione Dedicated to St. Mark the Evangelist." Sezione Dedicated to St. Mark the Evangelist. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/WAI/eng/storia_societa/sanmarco/sanmarco.bsm>.
"Section Dedicated to the Political and Religious History of St. Mark's Basilica." Section Dedicated to the Political and Religious History of St. Mark's Basilica. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.basilicasanmarco.it/WAI/eng/storia_societa/chiesa_cattedrale/chiesa_cattedrale.bsm>.