Pope Caius

Also known as

• Caius the Dalmatian
• Cayo
• Gaius

Memorial

• formerly 22 April (Roman calendar)
• cultus suppressed in 1969
• 11 August (Eastern calendar)

Profile

Some unreliable early documents indicate he was from Spalato in Dalmatia, may have been a relative of Emperor Diocletian, and the uncle of Saint Susanna. However, nothing reliable is known of his early life.

Pope in a time of peace before the last great persecution of Rome, and little concerning his papacy has survived. Decreed that before a man could be bishop, he must first be porter, reader, exorcist, acolyte, sub-deacon, deacon, and priest. Divided the districts of Rome among deacons.

Originally listed as a martyr based on the tales of his suffering during the Diocletian persecutions, these did not begin until years after his death, and there is no evidence of his suffering or martyrdom. This lack of verifiable information led to his name being dropped from the calendar of saints.

Papal Ascension

• 17 December 283

Died

• 22 April 296 of natural causes
• buried in the chamber next to the papal crypt in the Catacombs of Saint Callistus on the Appian Way

Representation

• pope with Saint Nereus

Additional Information

• Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
• Catholic Encyclopedia
• Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
• Medieval Religion Listserv, by John Dillon
• New Catholic Dictionary
• Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
• Roman Martyrology
• uCatholic
• Wikipedia

MLA Citation

• “Pope Caius“. Saints.SQPN.com. 23 April 2013. Web. 19 May 2013. <>