Editing Pope Caius

{{Redirects here|Saint Caius|the bishop of Milan|Caius of Milan}}{{Short description|Head of the Catholic Church from 283 to 296}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Pope
| honorific-prefix = [[List of popes|Pope]] [[List of canonised popes|Saint]]
| name = Caius
| title = [[Bishop of Rome]]
| church = [[Catholic Church]]
| image =
| term_start = 17 December 283
| term_end = 22 April 296
| predecessor = [[Pope Eutychian|Eutychian]]
| successor = [[Pope Marcellinus|Marcellinus]]
| birth_name = Caius or Gaius
| birth_date = Unknown
| birth_place = [[Salona]], [[Dalmatia (Roman province)|Dalmatia]], [[Roman Empire]]
| death_date = 22 April 296
| death_place = [[Rome]], [[Roman Italy|Italy]], [[Roman Empire]]
| feast_day = 22 April
}}
'''Pope Caius''' (died 22 April 296),<ref name="santasusanna"/> also called '''Gaius''', was the [[bishop of Rome]] from 17 December 283 to his death in 296.<ref name="ce">{{CatholicEncyclopedia|last=Chapman |first=John |wstitle=Caius and Soter, Saints and Popes |volume=3 |inline=1 |prescript=}}</ref> Little information on Caius is available except that given by the ''[[Liber Pontificalis]]'', which relies on a legendary account of the martyrdom of [[Saint Susanna|Susanna of Rome]] for its information. According to legend, Caius baptized the men and women who had been converted by [[Saint Tiburtius|Tiburtius]] (who is venerated with Susanna) and [[Castulus]].<ref name="aciprensa">{{cite web|url=http://www.aciprensa.com/santos/santo.php?id=94 |title=San Castulo, Mártir &#124; ACI Prensa&nbsp;– Santos |publisher=aciprensa.com|access-date=16 August 2015}}</ref> His legend states that Caius took refuge in the [[catacombs of Rome]] and died a [[martyr]].<ref name="St. Caius">{{cite book |url=http://www.cfpeople.org/Books/Pope/popep28.htm |chapter=St. Caius |title=Popes Through the Ages |first=Joseph |last=Brusher |year=1959 |via=Christ's Faithful People |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071101034234/http://www.cfpeople.org/books/pope/POPEp28.htm |archive-date=1 November 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Pontificate==
[[File:HR-Salona-Monastirine-5.jpg|thumb|Remains of the [[basilica]] of [[Salona]].]]
Christian tradition makes Caius a native of the [[Dalmatia]]n city of [[Salona]], the son of a man also named Caius or Gaius, and a member of a [[Patrician (ancient Rome)|noble family]] related to the [[Roman emperor|Emperor]] [[Diocletian]].<ref name="San Caio">[http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/50400 San Caio] at Santi e Beati {{in lang|it}}</ref> About 280, an early Christian house of worship was established on the site of [[Santa Susanna]], which, like many of the earliest Christian meeting places, was in a house (''domus ecclesiae''). The ''[[domus]]'' belonged, according to the sixth-century ''[[wikt:acta|acta]]'', to brothers named Caius and Gabinus, prominent Christians. Caius may be this pope, or [[Caius (presbyter)|Caius the Presbyter]]. Gabinus is the name given to the father of Susanna. Thus, sources state that Caius was the uncle of Susanna.<ref name="santasusanna">{{cite web|url=http://www.santasusanna.org/ourUniqueHistory/popes.html |title=Our Popes |publisher=The Church of Santa Susanna |access-date=16 August 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150728074548/http://www.santasusanna.org/ourUniqueHistory/popes.html |archive-date=28 July 2015 }}</ref>

As pope, Caius decreed that before someone could assume the position of [[bishop]], he must first be [[Porter (doorkeeper)|porter]], [[lector]], [[exorcist]], [[acolyte]], [[subdeacon]], [[deacon]], and [[priest]]. He also divided the districts of Rome among the deacons.<ref name="St. Caius"/><ref>[http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0422.shtml Saint of the Day, April 22: ''Caius''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131028083931/http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0422.shtml |date=28 October 2013 }} ''SaintPatrickDC.org.'' Retrieved 4 March 2012.</ref> During his pontificate, [[anti-Christian]] measures increased, although new churches were built and cemeteries were expanded.<ref name="San Caio"/><ref name="St. Caius"/> 

===Martyrdom===
Pope Caius would go into hiding due to increased persecution of the church, alongside Saints Polycarp, [[Saint Sebastian|Sebastian]], [[Saint Tranquillinus|Tranquillinus]], [[Saint Tiburtius|Tiburtius]], Nicostratus and [[Zoe of Rome|Zoe]], in the house of [[Castulus]], a Christian officer employed at the Imperial Palace.<ref name="Crawford">{{cite book |last1=Crawford |first1=Alexander |title=Sketches of the history of Christian art |date=1847 |publisher=J. Murray |location=London |page=236 |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sketches_of_the_history_of_Christian_art_(IA_gri_33125007724715).pdf |access-date=21 August 2024}}</ref> Over the course of the next few years, the entire group would be discovered one by one by Roman authorities and martyred.<ref name="Crawford"/> Caius would be found praying with Tiburtius shortly after the conversion and baptism of Tiburtius' children and the pair was brought to the local [[Praefectus]], a man named Fabian, who ordered the construction of a great bonfire, and ordered the two to either throw [[frankincense]] into it to appease the Roman gods, or to cast themselves into it.<ref name="Crawford"/> Although Pope Caius' ultimate fate is unclear, often being associated with beheading, according to legend Tiburtius walked into the fire invoking the name of Christ and remained unhurt, so he was taken out of Rome by the [[Via Labicana]] and [[beheaded]].<ref name="Crawford"/> However, Caius' martyrdom is disputed, as the [[Diocletianic Persecution]] of Christians began in 303&nbsp;AD, after Caius’ alleged death, and Diocletian was not immediately hostile to Christianity upon becoming emperor.<ref name="San Caio"/><ref name="St. Caius"/>

==Legacy==
[[Image:Martyrdom of Pope Caius.jpg|thumb|Depiction of the alleged martyrdom of Pope Caius by [[Lorenzo Monaco]]. It was originally part of the altarpiece of the church of San Gaggio in Florence.]]
Caius is mentioned in the fourth-century ''[[Depositio Episcoporum]]'' (therefore not as a martyr): ''X kl maii Caii in Callisti''.<ref name="ce"/>

Caius' tomb, with the original epitaph, was discovered in the [[catacomb of Callixtus]] and in it the ring with which he used to seal his letters (see Arringhi, Roma subterr., 1. iv. c. xlviii. p.&nbsp;426).<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=Caius|volume=4|page=960}}</ref> In 1631, his alleged residence in Rome was turned into a church. However, it was demolished in 1880 to make room for the [[Italian Minister of Defense|Ministry of War]], on the [[Via XX Settembre (Rome)|Via XX Settembre]], and his relics were transferred to the chapel of the [[Barberini]] family.<ref name="San Caio"/>

Saint Caius's [[feast day]] is celebrated on 22 April, as is that of [[Pope Soter]]. They are celebrated jointly in the [[Tridentine calendar]] and in the successive versions of the [[General Roman Calendar]] until that of 1969, since when they are omitted. Both are mentioned under 22 April in the [[Roman Martyrology]], the official list of recognized saints. The entry for Saint Caius is as follows: "At Rome, in the [[Catacombs of Rome#Catacombs of San Callisto|cemetery of Callistus]] on the [[Via Appia]], the burial of Saint Caius, Pope, who, fleeing from the persecution of [[Diocletian]], died as a confessor of the faith."<ref>Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2001 {{ISBN|88-209-7210-7}})</ref>

Saint Caius is portrayed in art wearing the [[papal tiara]] with [[Saint Nereus]]. He is venerated in [[Dalmatia]] and [[Venice]]. In Florence, the church of [[San Gaggio, Florence|San Gaggio]] on the via Senese was dedicated to him; the term ''Gaggio'' is a corruption of the name ''Cajo''. In 2003, plans were put into effect to turn it into residential council housing.<ref>[http://www.comune.firenze.it/firenzelacittanuova/us/n/ac_opere_all_e.htm Firenze la città nuova&nbsp;– Gallery] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070324074841/http://www.comune.firenze.it/firenzelacittanuova/us/n/ac_opere_all_e.htm |date=24 March 2007 }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Catholic saints]]
*[[List of popes]]
*[[Portal:Catholic Church/Patron Archive/April 22|Pope Saint Caius, patron saint archive]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/01_01_0283-0296-_Caius,_Sanctus.html Opera Omnia by Migne patrologia Latina]

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{{s-rel|grt}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Pope Eutychian|Eutychian]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Bishop of Rome]] <br/>[[List of popes|Pope]]|years=283–296}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Pope Marcellinus|Marcellinus]]}}
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{{Popes}}
{{Catholic saints}}
{{Subject bar |portal1= Saints |portal2= Biography |portal3= Christianity |portal4= Italy |portal5= History}}
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[[Category:296 deaths]]
[[Category:3rd-century archbishops]]
[[Category:3rd-century Christian saints]]
[[Category:3rd-century Romans]]
[[Category:Papal saints]]
[[Category:People from Roman Dalmatia]]
[[Category:Popes]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:Illyrian people]]
[[Category:3rd-century popes]]
[[Category:Legendary Romans]]