Saint of the Day: Popes Sts Soter and Caius

(Second and Third Centuries)

Their stories

+ Soter was elected to succeed Saint Anicetus as the bishop of Rome around the year 166.

+ It was during the reign of Pope Soter that the annual celebration of Easter was introduced in Rome.

+ Saint Soter died around the year 174.

+ Caius (or Gaius) became pope in 283, succeeding by Pope Saint Eutychian.

+ Although ancient sources purport that he spent eight years hiding in Rome’s catacombs, modern scholars believe that his papacy was marked by a period of relative peace and growth for the Church in Rome.

+ Pope Saint Caius died in the year 296.

+ Although there is nothing linking these two popes, they have been celebrated in a common liturgical celebration since the fourth century.

For prayer and reflection

“O LORD, grant salvation!

O LORD, grant prosperity!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;

we bless you from the house of the LORD.

The LORD is God, and he has given us light.”—Psalm 118:25-27a

Prayer

Almighty ever-living God,

who gave us the Paschal Mystery

in the covenant you established

for reconciling the human race,

so dispose our minds, we pray,

that what we celebrate by professing the faith

we may express in deeds.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(from The Roman Missal: Collect for Friday in the Octave of Eater)

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.