The church was founded in the second half of the 16th century by a charitable organization that arose in 1548, almost certainly affiliated if not the same as the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, with the aim of freeing captive Christians who had been captured by  Muslim navies and brigands.
Sometime they arranged exchanges of similarly enslaved Muslims for their Christian counterparts.
Once the association had operated with the church of San Domenico Maggiore, Naples, but began construction of this new church on land ceded to them by the Celestines from the nearby church of San Pietro a Majella, Naples.

In 1706, the church, including the facade with its volutes and obelisk decoration, was rebuilt by Ferdinando Sanfelice.
Further reconstructions were performed in 1715 and 1836.

This church houses the relics of St Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori, gave up his status as a nobleman to follow his vocation to become a priest.
He is depicted at the feet of the Virgin, to whom he was devoted, laying down his sword, and vowing to dedicate to the priesthood.
The church was founded in the second half of the 16th century by a charitable organization that arose in 1548, almost certainly affiliated if not the same as the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy, with the aim of freeing captive Christians who had been captured by  Muslim navies and brigands. Sometime they arranged exchanges of similarly enslaved Muslims for their Christian counterparts. Once the association had operated with the church of San Domenico Maggiore, Naples, but began construction of this new church on land ceded to them by the Celestines from the nearby church of San Pietro a Majella, Naples.
In 1706, the church, including the facade with its volutes and obelisk decoration, was rebuilt by Ferdinando Sanfelice. Further reconstructions were performed in 1715 and 1836. 
This church houses the relics of St Alphonsus Maria de' Liguori, gave up his status as a nobleman to follow his vocation to become a priest. He is depicted at the feet of the Virgin, to whom he was devoted, laying down his sword, and vowing to dedicate to the priesthood.
Santa Maria della Mercede e Sant'Alfonso Maria de' Liguori