Girolamini, Naples

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.

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.

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.

The report stated that Professor Tomaso Montanari, an art historian and academic, first alerted the police to what was happening, after having gained access to the library along with a student in early 2012.

Investigations showed that vehicle-loads of books had been removed and sold by the now-convicted criminals, who had waited until after normal working hours, turned off the rudimentary CCTV system, and then proceeded with their looting.

[4] De Caro was convicted along with accomplices in early 2013 and sentenced to seven years jail, although, due to his cooperation this was commuted to house arrest.

[4] Around 80% of the lost volumes had been recovered by late 2013, with the assistance of antiquarian booksellers and collectors, although many valuable artefacts remain unaccounted for.

The 17th-century Chiostro degli Aranci is filled with the orange trees that have given it its informal designation.
The conservative Late Baroque facade designed by Ferdinando Fuga belies its late date of 1780.
Interior