Francesco Abatellis, captain in the service of the army of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, lacking heirs, endowed in 1495 the foundation of a Benedictine monastery under the name of Santa Maria della Pietà.

The main architect was the Camillian cleric Giacomo Amato, who also designed two churches a few steps south on Via Torremuzza: Santa Teresa alla Kalsa and San Mattia ai Crociferi.

Inside, in front of the counterfacade, is a one-story vestibule (sottocoro) rich in stucco and fresco decoration and graced with dark Billiemi marble columns.

These include: Above this entrance, is a room allowing the cloistered nuns to listen to services behind a metal grate, and also to observe processions passing in the street in front.

Other frescoes depict The mystical dream of the blessed Guala de Roniis of Brescia, where he sees St Dominic rise to heaven through stairs held by Christ and the Virgin.