CHURCH OF SAN FILIPPO
The church of San Filippo was formerly called Santa Maria delle Grazie. It was built by the brotherhood of Santa Maria and its foundation dates back to the early sixteenth century, following the plague that broke out in Jesi and in the countryside in 1456, to invoke the Virgin. In 1653 the church was entrusted to the priests of the oratorian congregation, who dedicated it to San Filippo Neri.
The original church was different from the current one: the building was rectangular in plan and the floor was much lower than the current one, probably it was at the level of the current street level. The church was then rebuilt around 1710 with a circular plan and three altars. Promoters of the new construction of the church and the adjoining monastery were the Carmelite nuns, who had already been present in a house near the old church since 1670. The nuns had four medallions painted under the vault of the church dome depicting stories of Santa Teresa, Sant’Elia and San Giovanni della Croce.
In 2006 the roof, the octagonal dome, the bell tower and the facade were renovated. The interior of the church is awaiting restoration. Here there is an organ dating back to 1830. The organ was commissioned by the Congregation of the Oratory of San Filippo Neri to Sebastiano Vici, who, however, died before completing it. It was finished in 1834 by his apprentice Angelo Morettini of Perugia. After returning to his city, Angelo continued the organ-building activity, which was then carried on by his son Nicola and ended with his grandson Francesco in the early 1900s, effectively marking the conclusion of the historic Montecarotto organ-building school, which was active for about four centuries in the production of instruments.
For info and activities of the Parish
www.parrocchiamontecarotto.it