The Lion of Saint Mark, representing the evangelist St Mark, pictured in the form of a winged lion holding a Bible,[1] 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. The Lion of Saint Mark is also the symbol of the award of the Venice Film Festival, the "Golden Lion", and of the insurance company Assicurazioni Generali.