Written by Guide Catholic
Pope St. Caius (28º): Martyrdom & Sainthood — Complete Guide
Pontificate: 17 December 283 –22 April 296 · Origin: Salona, Dalmácia, Roman Empire · Birth name: Caius
St. Caius was the 28th pope of the Catholic Church, reigning 17 December 283 –22 April 296 during the apostolic and patristic Church. Martyred by beheading (according to legend); feast day 22 April. The Catholic Church venerates him as a saint.
Who Was Pope Caius?
Pope Caius — 28º in the Catholic list — reigned 17 December 283 –22 April 296 during the apostolic and patristic Church. Search interest often clusters around Martyrdom & Sainthood. Martyred by beheading (according to legend); feast day 22 April. This Guide Catholic profile gathers background, major acts, and legacy so you can read Caius beside neighboring pontiffs. Catholics also honor him as a saint whose intercession remains part of living devotion.
Early Life & Background
Born Salona, Dalmatia, Roman Empire, he entered a world shaped by politics and piety very different from today's global Church.
Historical Context
Caius (#undefined) shepherded Christians when the faith was still illegal or barely tolerated inside the Roman Empire; records are thin, yet tradition preserves these earliest successors of St. Peter.
Pontificate & Key Events
The pontificate (17 December 283 –22 April 296) centered on governance during the apostolic and patristic Church. Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 11 August.
Papal Acts & Achievements
Acts associated with Caius (#28, 17 December 283 –22 April 296) still draw historians and Catholics who want more than a one-line summary. His reign remains a link in the succession now counted at 267 popes.
Key Highlights
- 28th pope of the Catholic Church
- Pontificate: 17 December 283 –22 April 296
- Venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church
- Martyred by beheading (according to legend); feast day 22 April.
- Also revered as a saint in Eastern Christianity, with a feast day of 11 August.
Legacy in the Catholic Church
St. Caius remains pope 28º in the Annuario Pontificio. The Church still points to Caius's virtues for imitation. Set against the apostolic and patristic Church, Caius's choices show both the limits of any one pontiff and the continuity of the office he held.
Why Catholics Study This Pope Today
Reading Caius as pope 28º (17 December 283 –22 April 296) is a way to study how Rome answered the crises of the apostolic and patristic Church. Because the Church venerates Caius, you may seek his intercession and check his feast in the Martyrology or local calendar. Begin with this documented note: Martyred by beheading (according to legend); feast day 22 April. Use the neighboring pontiff links below to test whether Caius's reign looks unique or typical for the apostolic and patristic Church.
Place in the Line of Succession
St. Caius followed Pope St. Eutychian (27º, 4 January 275 –7 December 283) after a transition shaped by the politics and piety of their shared century. He was followed by Pope St. Marcellinus (29º, 30 June 296 –25 October 304), whose biography continues the chain on Guide Catholic. For the full chronological map, see our complete list of all 267 popes — then read neighboring biographies for contrast, not only continuity.