The church was constructed from 1549-1580 for the convent of the
Order of the Angeliche, founded by Countess
Ludovica Torelli. It has a nave with
barrel vault with a wall dividing the church reserved to the nuns from that for the common faithful, as in conventual churches like in
San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore. The interior houses canvasses from the Cremonese masters
Giulio,
Antonio and
Vincenzo Campi. The Angelicals were intended to be the female counterpart of the
Barnabites and often worked with them during missions. When, in 1552
Pope Paul IV imposed the rule of cloister, Torelli separated from the religious community. With the rule of enclosure, the church was separated into two parts. The work by the Cremonese artists was likely funded by Giulia Sfondrati, of a noble and powerful Cremonese family. The Baroque façade was designed in 1613 by
Giovanni Battista Crespi. The hall of the nuns had once a
Pentecost by
Simone Peterzano, now in the nearby church of
Sant'Eufemia. In 1808, following the suppression of the convents in the Napoleonic era, the monastery was closed, The church is now privately owned. The section behind the altar previously reserved for the nuns housed an architectural office from 2014 to 2019. The non-profit Fondazione Converso manages the building as a contemporary art space, organizing exhibitions, events and performances. ==References==