Predecessor: Eutychian
Reign: 283 – 296
Summary: Little is known about Pope Caius' early life. He was briefly mentioned by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical History and he may have been an uncle of Saint Susanna as he was linked to a site attributed to her martyrdom. A Caius was noted as being a donor of the property and an uncle of the woman.
As pope, Caius created the Catholic hierarchy of porter, lector, exorcist, acolyte, subdeacon, deacon, priest, and bishop. As a result, the western Christian world was formally divided into deaconates. The Roman Empire heavily persecuted the Christians during his reign but new churches continued to be built and both subterranean and traditional cemeteries were expanded. Contrary to tradition, Caius was probably not martyred by Diocletian but he may have still experienced a violent death, which earned him his sainthood. Caius' tomb was discovered in catacombs under the Vatican, linking the site to at least this period in history. His feast day is April 22nd.
Date of Death: 22 April 296
Successor: Marcellinus
Other Monarch Deaths:
Petronius Maximus, emperor of Rome (455)
Agapetus I, pope of Rome (536)
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