 Introduction
The 16th century Jesuit church was constructed by Valeriano (and later by Fanzago and Fuga) out of the Severini Place (15th century), of which only the curious embossed stone facade survives. The ebullient decoration of the interior (17th century) is fully in accordance with the needs of the Jesuits, who sought to attract the faithful through drama and direct appeal to the emotions. It is resplendent with coloured marble and huge paintings, including some by Ribera. In 1668 an earthquake destroyed Lanfranco's dome - the present one is 18th century.
Location
Transit:
From the main railway station take bus R2 (get off at Piazza Bovio) + E1 (from Rettifilo to Gesù Nuovo); from Mergellina station take Metro line 2 (get off at Montesanto); from Brin take bus C82 (get off at Piazza Municipio/Town Hall); from Colli Aminei car park take bus R4 (get off in Via Roma); from Molo Beverello take bus R3 (get off at Medina) + bus R4 (get off in Via Sant'Anna dei Lombardi);
History
Although the present building was officially consecrated on 7th October 1601 it was only actually completed much later. In 1634 Giovanni Lanfranco began work on frescoes in the dome which later collapsed in the earthquake of June 5th 1688 and painting in the interior of the church continued until the Jesuits were expelled from the Kingdom of Naples on 20th November 1767. The church was given to the reformed Franciscan or Grey Friars with the name Trinity Major but was handed back to the Jesuits on their return in 1821.
In 1857 a main altar was finally built to replace the pre-existing wooden one. However two years later the Jesuits were expelled again and only returned this time definitively in 1900. During the First World War the church was used to store grain and suffered serious damage in the bombings of 4th August 1943 which required twenty years of restoration. The church suffered damage again in the earthquake of 20th November 1980.
The unusual facade is called ashlar and is the original facade. The vault frescos representing Biblical and Saintly narratives that exalt the name of Jesus were carried out by Belisario Corenzio and Paolo de Matteis.
Today the church is much-loved and attended and is also a place of pilgrimage to Saint Joseph Moscati, a recently canonized doctor whose remains lie in a side-chapel. His name has also been given to an anti-usury Foundation set up on the premises.
The Main Naive
The vault frescos, placed between the door and the dome in the first part of the nave, were carried out by Belisario Corenzio (1560-1630) and Paolo De Matteis (1622-1630). They represent bible scenes and stories of Saints, who have exalted Jesus' Name. On the four pillars which bear the dome are frescoed the four Evangelists, a work by Giovanni Lanfranco (1582-1647).
The present dome is not the original one, designed with great solemnity by Paolo Valeriano, since it crashed during 1688 earthquake. The author of the frescos, placed on the second part of the vault up to the apse, is Massimo Stanzione (1585-1656). They represent scenes from Virgin Mary's life.
The Apse
The High Altar, created on F. Giuseppe Grossi's inspiration, is fruit of different Neapolitan artists' work, and was erected in 1857. It cost a very high sum for that time, since it was made of rare marbles, golden bronze and precious stones.
Three bronze bas-relieves arise on a black marble base: on the left, Supper of Emmaus (made by Salvatore Irdi), on the right, The Promise of Eucharist to Cafarnao, and in the middle the reproduction of the Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci. These last two bas-relieves are works by Gennaro Cali.
Above it, together with didactic and historical symbols concerning the Eucharistic mystery, eight busts of Saints, who have particularly distinguished for their glorification of Eucharist, overhang from shell-shaped medallions. From the left to the right side, they are St. Juliana of Liege, St. Stanislaus Kostka, the blessed Lanfranc of Canterbury, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Francis Borgia and St. Gaetano Thiene. Gennaro Cali carried out these medallions, apart from the third and the fourth bust, whose author is Costantino Labarbera.
On the Tabernacle, principally made of malachite, there is an inscription, which expresses the concept implied in the altar: “Deus absconditus heic”: here is the Hidden God.
In the walls at the two sides of the high altar, there are two elegant small choirs in red marble, placed on marmoreal portal as well, and the two Chancels with big seventeenth century organs. The right organ was built in 1650 by Pompeo di Franco and it was restored in 1986 by Gustavo Zanin. It has 52 registers and 2,523 pipes. The left organ, whose author is Vincenzo Miraglia, was built prior to 1646 and is no more in use.
The Obelisk in Piazza del Gesù
On the corner of the balustrade are placed four statues representing some Jesuit Saints: St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Francis Borgia, St. Francis Xavier and St. Francis Regis.
On the cusp there are two medallions imaging the busts of St. Aloysius Gonzaga and St. Stanislaus Kostka, carried out by Francesco Pagano and Matteo Bottiglieri.
Interior
The Facade
The church facade, in Bugnato style, is modeled on Sanseverino's palace, princes of Salerno, and was built in 1470 by Novello from San Lucano. This palace was bought by the Jesuits for an amount of 45.000 ducats and converted to a church.
Right Aisle
It includes five chapels. First of all, there is the Chapel of St. Charles Borromeo (1598-1584). Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino (1560-1610) is the author of the altar-piece representing the Saint.
Left Aisle
In this aisle, there are five chapels as well. The first one is the Holy Martyrs chapel. The altar-piece represents the Blessed Virgin with Child Jesus and Three Saint Martyrs. It is attributed to Giovanni Bernardino Azzolino (1560-1610).
The second one is the Nativity chapel, where the big picture by Girolamo Imparato (1550-1621) dominates the altar.
Then, in the middle of the aisle, there is the chapel dedicated to St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), the founder of the Jesuit Order. Among the columns and the marmoreal sculptures, it is possible to notice the statues representing David and Jeremy, both by Cosimo Fanzago (1593-1678). On the upper part, two paintings by Jusepe de Ribera (1588-1652) portray the story of the Saint. The vault frescos, with some episodes from St. Ignatius's life, were executed Paolo De Matteis (1662-1728).
Under the altar there is the urn containing relics of St. Ciro, doctor, hermit and martyr, who lived in the III cent., at the time of the persecution by Diocletian. On the right side, it is kept a roman cinerary urn, containing the relics of St. John soldier, St. Ciro's fellow.
At the end of the left aisle, there is the chapel of St. Francis De Geronimo (1642-1716). The statue of the Jesuit saint, apostle from Naples during the second half of the XVII century, was sculptured by Francesco Jerace in 1934.
According to recent researches, the two imposing side Reliquaries, with 70 busts of saint martyrs in golden wood, were made in the most part in 1617 by the Neapolitan woodcarver Giovan Battista Gallone.
The Sacristy contains frescos by Aniello Falcone (1600-1665). The Lavabo, at the back, is a work in polychrome marbles made by Dionisio Lazzari.
Useful Information
Telephone:081-5518613; 081-5578111.
Admission: Free Entrance to Church.
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