A Comparative Analysis on the Striking Similarity Between the Ethiopic Vitae of Mercorius the Martyr and Mark the Evangelist

Abstract

 and the Roman  are both foreign Saints, who were born in the 1^st and 3^rd century respectively, and both are venerated Saints in the Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥǝdo Church (EOTC). This article aims at examining the narrative similarities and thematic parallels between the  and . It shows how both narratives share remarkable similarities, such as the way the prayers are presented, the subjects that the divine interference takes place, and the manners how both Saints were martyred, with close comparative analysis. The sources of the data referred to the analysis were the texts of the A special emphasis was given to the events that are narrated in both Acts with their historical sequences, which enable to draw that they could share a single literary tradition. The article sets the striking similarities of the two  Acts within the broader context of Gǝʿǝz Christian literature, determining the transmission of Coptic and Byzantine influences into Ethiopian Christianity. Hence, considering these similarities, the article contributes to a wide range of understanding of the Gǝʿǝz hagiographic development with closer interconnectedness of the early Christian traditions.