It opened on 5 November 1887, having been built thanks to a major donation by prince Alessandro Torlonia.

It is now cared for by the Poor Servants of the Mother of God, an English religious congregation, which lives in the convent annex.

It was built by Alexander George Fullerton in memory of the early deaths of his wife Georgiana (one of the order's founders) and their young son William.

The altar originally came from the demolished church of Santa Teresa presso le Quattro Fontane and was donated by prince Torlonia.

The two altars of Our Lady and of the Sacred Heart were given by Fullerton and came from another demolished church, that of Santa Elisabetta.