Matthew Carrieri was a 15th-century Dominican friar, originally born Giovanni Francesco Carreri in Mantua. Known for his intense devotion and austere lifestyle, he became a successful preacher through extensive meditation and spiritual exercises. He is remembered for a notable act of self-sacrifice during a voyage from Genoa to Pisa, where he offered himself to Turkish pirates in exchange for the freedom of several captives, including a woman and her daughter.
Life and devotion
During his time in the Dominican Order, Carreri served as a spiritual mentor to Stephana de Quinzanis. He predicted she would become his spiritual successor, a connection highlighted by the similar physical pains she reportedly experienced due to his intense focus on the Passion of Christ. His life concluded in Vigevano in 1470, following a request to his superior to be permitted to die.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognizes him as a blessed figure. In 1482, Pope Sixtus IV authorized the formal liturgical celebration of his cultus and permitted the solemn transfer of his relics. He is commemorated annually on October 7.