CARIOFILLE, GIOVANNI MATTEO. - Greek-Catholic theologian, born at La Canea (Candia) around 1565-1566 and died in Rome in 1635. He rests in the church of the Greek College, where he had completed his studies. Sent as vicar and administrator to the diocese of Kissamos (Crete), he displayed a zeal that was at times excessive, so that the dissidents obtained his removal from the island from the Venetian Senate. Having withdrawn to Rome, he found employment at the Vatican Library.
C. was a prolific writer and fiery apologist for the Roman Church against dissident theologians. M. Legrand (Bibl. hellénique du XVIIᵉ siècle, Parigi 1894-1903; II, p. 389; III, pp. 198-203, 226-27, 521-22 and V, pp. 226-27) provides a list of his unpublished works, many of which are mentioned by Allaacci and Papadopuli-Comneno. Among those published, mention should be made of the De primum Papae romani (Hannover 1608), a refutation of the famous “orthodox” confession of Cirillo Lukaris, which subsequently provoked great controversies in Greece and Rome as well (1631).