The Lion of Saint Mark in Venice

The Lion of Saint Mark, representing the evangelist St Mark, pictured in the form of a winged lion

The Lion of Saint Mark, representing the evangelist St Mark, pictured in the form of a winged lion holding a Bible, is the symbol of the city of Venice and formerly of the Republic of Venice, as well as of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, See of Saint Mark. It appears also in both merchant and military naval flags of the Italian Republic. Venetian tradition states that when St. Mark was traveling through Europe, he arrived at a lagoon in Venice, where an angel appeared to him and said “Pax tibi Marce, evangelista meus. Hic requiescet corpus tuum.” (May Peace be with you, Mark, my evangelist. Here your body will rest.) This (possibly apocryphal) tradition was used as justification by Rustico da Torcello and Bon da Malamocco in 828 for stealing the remains of St. Mark from his grave in Alexandria, and moving them to Venice, where they were eventually interred in the Basilica of St. Mark. On Gingershoponline, you can find the copy of the famous statue. Made with agglomerate of marble powder and resina, glazed by hand, it's entirely handicraft in Italy.