San Girolamo della Carità

Welcome to San Girolamo della Carità, a relatively small but intellectually and spiritually dense church tucked away near the Palazzo Farnese. While it may not have the towering scale of Rome's great basilicas, it occupies a…

The facade of San Girolamo della Carità, designed by Carlo Rainaldi in 1660, is a masterful example of Roman Baroque restraint. Unlike the swirling, high-energy facades of churches like San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, Rainaldi…

Inside, we turn to the Spada Chapel, located on the right side of the nave. This is one of the most intellectually daring and visually unique spaces in all of Rome, designed by Francesco Borromini in collaboration with Virgilio…

Moving further into the church, we find the chapel dedicated to Saint Philip Neri. This space is designed to illustrate the spiritual path of the saint, who was known for his extreme humility and his mystical experiences. …

The main altar of San Girolamo della Carità is a celebration of the Baroque 'Bel Composto.' While the current altarpiece is a copy of Domenichino’s 'The Last Communion of Saint Jerome' (the original is in the Vatican Museums), it…

To truly understand San Girolamo, one must visit the rooms of Saint Philip Neri, located above the church. These rooms were reconstructed after the 1654 fire to preserve the exact environment where the saint lived from 1551 to…

As we conclude our interior tour, we must mention the Antamoro Chapel, dedicated to Saint Filippo Neri. While not as famous as his larger works, this chapel features a statue of the saint designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and…

Leaving San Girolamo della Carità, you carry with you a story of immense heart and radical charity. This church has shown you two faces of the Roman Baroque: the cerebral, complex genius of Borromini and the warm, human-centered…