Girolamini, Naples

History[edit]

The church was built site of an earlier building, the Palazzo Seripando, which was bought in 1586 with 5500 ducats for the priests of the Congregation of the Oratory of St Philip Neri. Archbishop Mario Carafa, had requested disciples from the order, and received the future cardinal Francesco Tarugi.^[1] Once the Palace was demolished, construction started in 1592 using by the Florentine architect Giovanni Antonio Dosio, with help by Nencioni. Completed in 1619, the church was in a sober Florentine Renaissance style, with a Latin cross with three naves supported by arcuated colonnades and with lateral chapels. It was initially consecrated to the Birth of the Virgin of and All Saints (Ognisanti).


There are two cloisters: the first cloister is called the "chiostro maiolicato" from its embedded maiolica tiles. A much larger second 17th-century cloister, is accessible through the first; this cloister hosts the entry to both the "Quadreria" or art collection, which had been previously housed in the sacristy of the Church, and the magnificent library of the Oratorian Fathers, the Biblioteca Girolamini, now run by the Italian state.^[2] The facade and other reconstructions were completed by Ferdinando Fuga in 1780. The facade statues of St Peter or St Paul were sculpted by Giuseppe Sammartino.


The Church and the convent gallery contain works by major artists. The lavish gilt ceiling was badly damaged during aerial bombardment in February 1944, but has been partially restored.


The church counterfacade has a Giordano painting of Jesus ejects the moneylenders from the Temple. The lateral doors have frescoes of Heliodorus and the Angel and Oza morto presso l’Arca by Filippo Mazzante. The first chapel on the right has an altarpiece depicting Saints Giorgio and Pantaleone by the Bolognese Gaetano Pandolfi; to the side are paintings of St Dominic and the Guardian Angel are by Francesco Fracanzano, pupil of Ribera; above is a painting of Saints Cosma and Damiano by Benasca. The 2nd chapel on the right has a small Madonna della Neve by a follower of Polidoro di Caravaggio, the paintings of God and Sts Anne and Joseph are by Giuseppe Marulli. Francesco di Maria painted St Anne and S. Gioacchino with the Angel. The paintings in the 3rd chapel are by Luca Giordano. The 4th chapel on the right has a St Agnese, by Cristoforo Roncalli (il Pomarancio). Giovanni Battista Vico and his wife, Caterina Destito have funereal plaques in this chapel. The 5th chapel has a St. Francis in Ecstasy by Guido Reni. The frescoes in this chapel are by Morandi. The canvas of the Virgin and Apostles in the sixth chapel was painted by Paolo de Matteis, while Francesco la Mura painted the lateral canvases.^[3]


The church and complex take their name of Girolamini from that which was first applied to the priests of the Oratory and which is derived from the Church of San Girolamo della Carità in Rome, where St Philip Neri first established his religious exercises.