The church, consecrated in 1544 and initially dedicated to Saint Mary of Jesus, was subsequently dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Anthony of Padua. Over the centuries, it has suffered damage from war and natural events, with the 1980 earthquake causing serious damage. Despite its troubled history, the church was consecrated again in 2009, reopening its preserved central part to the public, including the facade with the bell tower from 1571, the transept and the sacristy with the sixteenth-century frescoes by Belisario Corenzio.

Inside, the church features an 18th century marble altar in the transept, 16th century sculptural works, a wooden choir from 1534 by Giovan Marino Vitale and a Tamburini organ from 1960. The nave preserves the funerary monument of General Pietro Carola from 1668. The main façade features the portal and wooden doors from 1528 created by Giovan Marino Vitale and Marcantonio Ferrari.

The original sixteenth-century convent was requisitioned by the Italian state in 1866, and a new convent was designed by the engineer Giuseppe Salsano in 1931. This new convent houses a nativity scene with nineteenth-century shepherds by Alfonso Balzico and also serves as a library. In 2010, a large censer anchored to the ceiling of the central nave, known as the largest in the world, made of silver weighing 70 kg, was inaugurated. This censer is used during special events and launched every thirteenth of the month. The church and the convent represent not only a place of worship but also an important historical and artistic heritage.