African bishop. Priscus was bishop of Castra who, with a group of priests, was seized by theArian Vandals, placed in a rickety boat without a rudder, and cast adrift in the Mediterranean. They managed to survive the voyage, reaching southern Italy Priscus became bishop of Capua, and several of the priests were later made bishops in their own rights. The Acts from which this tale is taken are considered generally unreliable, and some scholars believe that the companions of Priscus were actually saints from the area of Campania and unrelated to Priscus.
Priscus is one of several Catholic saints and martyrs. In the 1921 Benedictine Book of Saints there are seven figures named Priscus mentioned.
There are different feast days involved. In some confusion, he is said to be the first Bishop of Capua, a martyr of the third century, and an African bishop; but the sources have been cast into doubt, and even the century is unclear in some accounts.
March 28
The martyr was put to death in 260 under Valerian, with Malchus and Alexander.
May 9
Priscus of Nocera, first bishop of Nocera (is also distinguished from the Bishop of Capua).
May 26
Priscus, a Roman legionary officer, was put to death in 272 in France, under Aurelian.
September 1
The story of the African bishop of the fifth century cast adrift is doubted.
October 1
Priscus, Crescens, and Evagrius were martyrs, put to death in Tomi, on the Black Sea.
