Matthew, Mark, Luke and
John ST. MATTHEW as an Evangelist is symbolized by
three purses to indicate his occupation as a tax gatherer prior to his
call to apostleship. (The battle axe is used as with other apostles to
indicate martyrdom.) ST. MARK, the writer of the second gospel, can be
thought of in connection with the scroll which commonly stands for the
Holy Scriptures. This emblem, used with the branch bearing figs, suggests
this Evangelist’s fruitfulness and fidelity both as a writer and as a man
of missionary spirit as he accompanied St. Paul. ST. LUKE. The three open books may well signify
the most learned of the Evangelist, St. Luke. He was a physician and was
the author of the third gospel as well as the Book of Acts. The battle axe
reminds us that he, too, because of his faith, suffered death by
martyrdom. ST. JOHN as an apostle is represented often by a
serpent emerging from a chalice to indicate an attempt made to poison him.
The serpent entwined about a sword indicates justice, power, and
authority. The serpent refers to the wisdom and power of
John.
Mark is depicted as a youth in a white sheet. "A certain young
man, dressed only in a linen cloth, was following Jesus. They tried to arrest
him, but he ran away naked, leaving the cloth behind", (Mark14:51-52).
The writers of the Four Gospels are more often represented by the
winged creatures shown in the design at the right. The Winged Man
represents St. Matthew because his gospel lays stress upon the incarnation
of the Son of God. In his writings he traces the human lineage of Jesus.
The Winged Lion symbolizes St. Mark, for he opened his inspiring
gospel by describing St. John the Baptist as "a voice of one crying in the
wilderness." The Winged Ox is chosen to represent St. Luke who
gives a full account of the sacrificial death of our Lord. The Winged
Eagle signifies the heavenly nature of Christ, embodied in the
inspiration of St. John.
St.Matthew, St.Mark, St.Luke and St. John. 
