Caius was a native of Dalmatia and a relation of the emperor Diocletian. He decreed that the following ecclesiastic orders or honours should precede the ordination of a Bishop: Door-keeper, Lector, Exorcist, Acolyte, Sub-deacon, Deacon and Priest. For some time he concealed himself in a cave in order to escape the cruelty exercised against the Christians by Diocletian, but after eight years, he, together with his brother Gabinus, received the crown of martyrdom. He governed the Church 12 years, 4 months and 5 days. He ordained in the month of December, 25 Priests, 8 Deacons and 5 Bishops. He was buried in the Cemetery of Callixtus on the 10th of the Calends of May (April 22nd). Urban VIII revived his memory in Rome, restored his Church, which was in ruins, and honoured it with a Title, a Station, and the relics of the Saint.
Dom Prosper Guéranger:
The palms of two martyred Popes are intertwined and grace this day of the Calendar. Soter suffered for Christ in the second, and Caius in the third century. A hundred years separate them, and yet we have the same energy of faith, the same jealous fidelity to keep intact the depositum left by Christ to His Church. What human society ever existed that produced heroes for century after century? The society, however, which was founded by Christ — in other words, the Church — is based on that traditional devotedness which consists in laying down one’s life for the Faith. And if so, we may be sure that the spirit of martyrdom would show itself in them that were the Heads and Fathers of this Society. The first thirty successors of Saint Peter paid dearly for the honour of the Supreme Pontificate: they were martyrs. How grand the throne of our Risen Jesus, surrounded as it is by all these kings clad in their triumphant scarlet robes!
Soter was the immediate successor of Anicetus whose feast we kept on the 17th of this month. Time has effaced the details of his life. Eusebius, however, gives us a fragment of a Letter written by Saint Diooysius, Bishop of Corinth, in which thanks are expressed to the Pontiff for the alms he sent to the faithful of that Church during a famine. An Apostolic Letter was sent with these alms and Saint Dionysius tells us that it was read in the assemblies of the Faithful, together with the one addressed to the same Church, in the preceding century, by Saint Clement. The Roman Pontiffs have ever united charity to their fidelity in preserving pure the Deposit of our Faith. With regard to Caius, he suffered death in the terrible persecution under Diocletian, and little more than a mere mention of his name is given in the annals of Christian Rome.
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O holy Pontiffs, you are of the number of those who went through the great tribulation (Apocalypse vii. 14) and passed, through fire and water (Psalm lxv. 12), to the eternal shores of Heaven. The thought of Jesus’ victory over death gave you courage: you remembered how His Passion was followed by a glorious Resurrection. By imitating Him in laying down your lives for your sheep, you have taught us how we also should think no sacrifice too great to be made for our Faith. Get us this heroic courage. Baptism has numbered us among the soldiers of Christ. Confirmation has given us the Spirit of Fortitude. We must, then, be ready for battle. It may be that even in our own times a persecution may rage against the Church. At all events, we have to fight against ourselves, the spirit of the world and Satan: support us by your prayers. You were once the Fathers of the Christian people. You are still animated with the pastoral charity which then filled your hearts. Protect us and make us loyal to the God whose cause was so clear to you when here on Earth.
Also on this day according to the ROMAN MARTYROLOGY:
At Smyrna, the Saints Apelles and Lucius who were
among the first disciples of Christ.
The same day, many holy martyrs who, the year
following the death of St. Simeon, and on the anniversary of the
Passion of Our Lord, were put to the sword for the name of Christ
throughout Persia under king Sapor. Among those who then suffered for
the faith were the eunuch Azades, a favourite of the king; Milles, a
bishop renowned for sanctity and miracles; the bishop Acepsimas, with
one of his priests named James; also Aithalas and Joseph, priests;
Azadan and Abdiesus, deacons, and many other clerics; Mareas and
Bicor, bishops, with twenty other bishops, and nearly two hundred and
fifty clerics; many monks and consecrated virgins, among whom was the
sister of St. Simeon, called Tarbula, with her maid-servant, who were
both killed in a most cruel manner by being tied to stakes and sawed
in two.
Also in Persia, the Saints Parmenius, Helimenas
and Chrysotelus, priests, Lucas and Mucius, deacons, whose triumph is
related in the Acts of Saints Abdon and Sennen.
At Alexandria, the birthday of the martyr St.
Leonides who suffered under Severus.
At Lyons, in the persecution of Antoninus Verus,
St. Epipodius who was arrested with Alexander, his companion, and
after undergoing severe torments consummated his martyrdom by
decapitation.
At Sens, St. Leo, bishop and confessor.
At Anastasiopolis, St. Theodore, a bishop renowned
for miracles.
And in other places, many other holy martyrs,
confessors and virgins.
Thanks be to God.
