Caius (Gaius, Γάιος) (CAIO (CAIUS, GAIUS, ΓΆΛΟΣ)) - Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. III, p. 198

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

CAIO (Caius, Gaius, Γάλος). — Name of several disciples of the Apostles. In the Greek New Testament the name Γάλος occurs five times: in three cases the Vulgate has Gaius (Act. 19, 29; 20, 4; III Io. 1), and in two Caius (Rom. 16, 23; I Cor. 1, 14); but the manuscripts favor Gaius. The distinct persons presented under this name seem to be four, since Rom. 16, 23 and I Cor. 1, 14 almost certainly refer to the same individual. Without taking account of the purely graphic difference—Caius and Gaius—in the name (or, rather, praenomen), which was extremely common in the Greco-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 apparently as an exceptional case; Rom. 16, 23 attests that C. had connections in Rome, where he sends his greetings, and that he hosted Paul at least during one of his stays (the second or third, V. CORIBANTI, PISTOLLE I e II ai) in Corinth, at the end of the third apostolic journey. The same text adds that C. also hosted « tutta la chiesa » (the Vulgate manuscripts have: « et universa ecclesia » or « et universae ecclesiae »), probably in the sense that his house was open to every Christian passing through Corinth. It cannot be excluded, however, that C. exercised this hospitality by making his house available for the gatherings of the faithful, at least during Paul’s stay in Corinth. On the other hand, the phrase « e di tutta la chiesa » might also have a somewhat hyperbolic tone.

Article illustration — 2. – A C. of Macedonia was arrested at Ephesus during the riot of the silversmiths (Act. 19:29), together with Aristarchus, also of Macedonia.
3. – C. of Derbe appears in Paul’s company (Act. 20:4) during his return journey from the third mission. He could also be the same person as one of the two mentioned above, in connection with Derbe either by origin or by domicile.
(courtesy of the publisher Del Turco, Florence) CAINO – Episodes from the history of C. and Abel. Panel from the Gate of Paradise by L. Ghiberti – Florence, Baptistery.

4. – C., the addressee of III Io. (v. 1), about whom we know only the very little that this text tells us, does not seem to be identifiable with any of those already mentioned. He must have been prominent Diotrephes (v.) was the head and was criticized by John; but it is impossible to say what this community was. C. generously assisted missionaries passing through (III Io. 5 ff.), unlike Diotrephes; C. did not allow himself to be influenced by him. Const. Apost., VII, 46 (PG 1, 1053) speaks of a C. appointed bishop of Pergamum by St John, and probably has in mind the addressee of III Io.

BIBL.: E. Jacquier, Caius, in DB, II, col. 47; III, col. 44; s. V. in Dict. Enc. de la Bible by A. Westphal. I, p. 456; M.-J. Lagrange, Aux Romains, Paris 1916, p. 376; E. Jacquier, Le Actes des Apôtres, there 1926, p. 586; E. B. Allo, Premiere Epître aux Corinthiens, there 1935, p. 11; J. Chainé, Les Épîtres Catholiques, there 1939, pp. 239–51. Teodorico da Castel S. Pietro