Chiesa di San Filippo

The Church of San Filippo, formally dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, is a Baroque church in Ripatransone associated with the Oratorian fathers. Its single nave, gilded altars and elaborate stucco decoration reflect the long building campaign led by architect Francesco Massari and continued by local craftsmen.

Why it matters

The Oratorian congregation took root in Ripatransone in 1615 under P. Vagnozzo Pica. Construction of its church began in 1680, following a design by Massari, an architect formed in Borromini's circle. The building preserves a rich group of paintings, sculpture and devotional objects associated with the congregation and the town.

What to notice

The interior has a single nave, side chapels, transept and dome on an octagonal drum. Stucco work begun by the Milanese master known as Mastro Tobia was completed by Lorenzo Vibi of Perugia in 1721–22. The chapels contain paintings by Ubaldo Ricci and others; the transept includes Odoardo Vicinelli's Transito di Sant'Anna. In the left chapel, a gilded wooden altar frames an Immacolata attributed to Lazzaro Baldi, beside relics of Saint Philip Neri. The apse has a neoclassical altar designed by Gaetano Ferri in 1843, with a scagliola Immacolata by Fedele Bianchini.

Context and history

The Oratorians first used the church of San Rocco while their own church was being planned. Massari directed the work from 1680 until his death in 1705; Luzio Bonomi continued it, and the church was completed in 1722. The building was sold in 1808 during the Napoleonic era. Later restorations included interior work in 1972–74 and exterior consolidation in 2000.