Died: April 22, 296 A.D.
aka Pope St. Gaius
Pronounced: KYE-uss or GYE-uss
Give me the scoop on Caius.
Pope St. Caius reigned as pope for 12 years, four months, and seven days, having been elected on December 17, 283 and dying April 22, 296. Unverifiable tradition holds that St. Caius was born near modern-day Croatia, belonged to a noble family, and was a relative of the Roman Emperor Diocletian.
It’s fairly certain that Caius was not a martyr, though according to his entry in the Roman Martyrology he died while fleeing Roman persecution.
What was he known for?
If St. Eutychian was known for not being known for anything, it’s all the more true for St. Caius. In the “calm before the storm,” St. Caius presumably went about his business of keeping the ball rolling, building more churches and expanding cemeteries in the face of the impending Roman persecution.
Fun Fact…
St. Caius shares a feast day (April 22) with St. Soter, a fellow pope who reigned from 166-174 A.D.
What else was going on in the world at the time?
St. Caius shares a feast day (April 22) with St. Soter, a fellow pope who reigned from 166-174 A.D.
Coming tomorrow….Pope St. Marcellinus
SOURCES (and further reading)
John, E. (1964). The Popes: A concise biographical history. New York: Hawthorn Books.
Caius and Soter, Saints and Popes – http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03144c.htm
Pope Caius – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Caius
290s – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/290s