Church of Saints Philip and James

In the heart of Naples, along the historic Via San Biagio dei Librai, stands the Church of Saints Philip and James, a hidden treasure of art and history. This magnificent building, also known as the Church of the Silk Art, was built starting from 1591 at the behest of the powerful Corporation of the Silk Art, composed of merchants, weavers, and dyers who, with the support of the king of Naples Alfonso d’Aragona, achieved great prosperity. The corporation needed a place of worship representative of their prestige and, over the years, the church transformed into a masterpiece of Baroque architecture. The facade of the church, slightly set back from the lower decumanus, stands out for its elegant simplicity. It is divided into two orders: in the first, two niches house the statues of the titular saints, Philip and James, works of the famous sculptor Giuseppe Sanmartino; in the second order, two other niches contain the statues of Religion and Faith, created by Giuseppe Picano, a student of Sanmartino. These sculptural details, rich in expressiveness and skill, introduce visitors to the decorative richness of the interior. Upon entering the church, visitors are welcomed by a single nave, without a transept, following the dictates of the Counter-Reformation, designed to emphasize the centrality of the altar and facilitate the participation of the faithful in liturgical celebrations. The vault of the nave is frescoed by Jacopo Cestaro, who in 1759 painted a series of scenes culminating in the Assumption of the Virgin, creating a visually and spiritually impactful effect. One of the wonders of the church is the terracotta maiolica floor, made by Donato Massa in 1738. This floor, with its intricate geometric and floral designs, bears in the center the emblem of the Corporation of the Silk Art, a symbol of the importance and prestige of the corporation in the economic and social life of Naples. Two holy water fonts on either side of the entrance, masterpieces of Neapolitan rococo created by Giacomo Massotti, add a touch of grace and sophistication to the environment. The interior of the church is enriched by numerous works of art, including the wooden sculptures preserved in the side chapels. These sculptures, of extraordinary craftsmanship, represent an important testimony to the artisanal skill of Neapolitan masters of the eighteenth century. In the sacristy and in the church’s storerooms, there are other works of inestimable value, such as an eighteenth-century wooden altar characterized by intricate perspective and a bishop’s throne carved and decorated with the symbols of the Silk Art. The architectural complex of the church is not limited to the sacred structure alone. Over the centuries, in fact, the church has been accompanied by adjacent buildings that housed the conservatory for the daughters of poor, sick, or deceased artisans of the corporation. This conservatory, founded in 1582, was an important social institution that guaranteed education and a dignified future to young orphaned girls.