Biography
Canius
About Canius
Canius, also called Canion, is a bishop and martyr remembered at Atella in Campania. An entry in the Martyrologium Hieronymianum links his commemoration to that place.
The elaborate life comes through a Passion and a medieval life of Castrensis. These texts describe an African bishop, exile across the sea and preaching in Italy.
Their dramatic stories mix historical elements with fantastic material. They should not be read as a continuous, independently documented biography.
The name “Canion of Acerenza” refers to the same saint, whose relics were transferred there. His veneration at Acerenza does not identify a second person.
Wondering how to weigh the stories and sources? Learn how to read a saint biography.