Basilica di Santa Maria della Pazienza (Basilica of St Mary of Patience)

The church is also known as Cesarea, after the name of its founder Annibale Cesareo, secretary of the royal court of Santa Chiara. The complex was built in Baroque style, and the embellishments added between the year of its founding and 1636, when the church was completed, are of great importance. Later, restoration works were also carried out: in 1773 by Costantino Manni and, two years later, by Tommaso Eboli.

by Alessia Giannino

The complex of Santa Maria della Pazienza (St Mary of Patience) is located in Naples, in Piazza Cesarea, in the Avvocata district, and was founded back in 1601.

In 1917 the church was also frequented by San Pio da Pietrelcina (St Pio of Pietrelcina), better known as Padre Pio (Father Pio), who also celebrated a mass here. Known and much loved throughout the world, as an Italian presbyter of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, he is now venerated by the Catholic Church as a saint, with his liturgical feast celebrated on 23 September, the anniversary of his death.

Structure and works

Inside, the Basilica consists of a single nave and side chapels, which house many works of art. The coffered ceiling is embellished by a large canvas depicting the "Riposo in Egitto" (Rest in Egypt) by Giuseppe Pozzovivo. But besides this, there are truly many works of art present, which make the basilica one of the most precious in Naples. There are, in fact, the works of Giovanni Bernardo Lama, such as Hospitality, Abundance, Misery, Honour, Concord, Charity, Mercy, Wisdom, Providence and Knowledge. The artist was a follower of Raphael and belonged to the Italian Renaissance.

Other notable names in the field of art who worked for the church were Lorenzo De Caro and Nicola Malinconico. As for the sculptural works, finally, of importance are the main altar, which was dismantled for the reconstruction of the apse, and the Monumento di Annibale Cesareo (Monument of Annibale Cesareo), created by Michelangelo Naccherino, one of the most prestigious sculptors of the era present in Naples.