About this person
Philip Neri was an Italian Catholic priest and founder of the Congregation of the Oratory. In Counter-Reformation Rome, he gained a reputation as a spiritual teacher who combined pastoral work with care for the poor, the sick and young people.
He was born on 21 July 1515 and died on 26 May 1595. His work centred primarily on Rome, where he formed communities of believers and supported education and charity.
His legacy includes the tradition of the pilgrimage to Rome's seven churches and the use of the spiritual music known as laude, from which the oratorio developed. He was canonised in 1622.