Born at the end of the 16th century in Križevci, his real name was Marko Krizin, he chose the priestly vocation, studied theology and philosophy in Vienna and Graz, and then resided in Rome. Later priest in the Ostrogothic diocese, professor and director of the seminary in Trnava, Slovakia.
During the Thirty Years’ War, he found himself in Košice, where he was arrested, tortured and executed in 1619 together with Melchior Grodziecki and István Pongrácz. Since 1904, he has been celebrated as Blessed Marko Križevčanin, canonized in Košice on July 1, 1995.
St. Marko of Križevci is the third Croatian saint, and a large number of believers gather in Križevci on his feast day. The program of celebrating the Day of St. Mark Križevčanin, the patron saint of the town of Križevci, Koprivnica-Križevci County and the Bjelovar-Križevci Diocese, is held from late August to mid-September, and is filled with many spiritual events.
