CAIUS (Gaius, Γάιος). - Name of several disciples of the Apostles. In the Greek New Testament the name Γάιος occurs five times: in three cases the Vulgate has Gaius (Acts 19:29; 20:4; III John 1), in two Caius (Rom. 16:23; I Cor. 1:14); but the codices incline toward Gaius. The distinct individuals presented under this name seem to be four, since Rom. 16:23 and I Cor. 1:14 almost certainly refer to the same person. Without taking into account the purely graphic difference — Caius and Gaius — of the name (or rather praenomen), extremely common in the Greek-Roman world, we present them all under C.
1. - C. of Corinth is the one about whom we are best informed. From I Cor. 1:14 we know that he was baptized by Paul himself, but almost as an exception; Rom. 16:23 attests that C. must have had acquaintances in Rome, where he sends his greetings, and that he hosted Paul at least during one of his stays (second or third, v. CORINTHIANS, EPISTLES I and II to) at Corinth, at the end of the third apostolic journey. The same text adds that C. also hosted "the whole church" (the Vulgate codices have: "et universa ecclesia" or "et universae ecclesiae"), probably in the sense that his house was open to every Christian passing through Corinth. It is not excluded, however, that this hospitality was exercised by C. by granting his own house for the gatherings of the faithful, at least during Paul's stay at Corinth. On the other hand, the phrase "and of the whole church" could also have a somewhat hyperbolic flavor.
2. - A C. of Macedonia was arrested at Ephesus during the riot of the silversmiths (Acts 19:29), together with Aristarchus, also of Macedonia.
3. - C. of Derbe appears in Paul's entourage (Acts 20:4) during his return journey from the third mission. It could also be a person not different from one of the two preceding, connected with Derbe either by origin or by domicile.
4. - C., the addressee of III John (v. 1), of whom we know only the very little that this text tells us, does not appear to be identified with any of those already mentioned. He must have been prominent in the community of which Diotrephes (v.) was the head, criticized by John; but which community this was cannot be said. C. generously helped the missionaries passing through (III John 5 ff.), contrary to what Diotrephes did, by whom C. did not allow himself to be influenced. Const. Apost., VII, 46 (PG 1, 1053) speak to us of a C. appointed bishop of Pergamum by St. John, and they probably have in mind the addressee of III John.
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Teodorico da Castel S. Pietro