The church has a single nave with three side altars, two of which are on the left in recessed chapels. Significant modifications (addition of the entrance atrium) were made between 1525 and 1551 and funded by Paride Centurione Fattinati. It was restored after its reopening in 1817 and following the bombings of 1942-44 and again in the 1960s. Description: It represents the face of the Blessed Virgin Mary, by an unknown author (16th century; dimensions 18×26 cm). It was anciently located inside the monastery, and probably (due to its small size) was used for the private devotion of some nun. From 1647, following a miracle (see sheet 22), devotion to it increased significantly and it was placed in the choir; from 1817 it was placed on the altar of St. Francis (first on the left). Entered into use: in the year 1647 Image: Painting
Type of ex-votos: Painted tablets, Jewelry items, Various objects, Other

The miraculous episode that gave significant impetus to devotion to the Virgin occurred in 1647 (see sheet 22). The venerated image is located in the church of the monastery of St. Clare, built in 1296. In 1746 and 1747, twice, the Clarissan nuns had to abandon the monastery for several months due to the events of the war against the Austrians. In 1810, following Napoleonic measures, the monastery was abandoned and the church remained closed until 1817. It was closed again from 1861 to 1868 when, by government order, it was converted into a military hospital. It was finally abandoned again following the bombings of 1942: the nuns returned only in 1948; the church was reopened for worship in 1953. Recently the nuns have been transferred and the church has been closed again for worship.
To the venerated image, the nuns attributed the fact that they all miraculously remained unharmed from a collapse in the dormitory on the evening of 11/02/1647; the next morning the image was still miraculously hanging on the wall and was seen sliding and gently resting on the floor. From that day it had particular devotion. The episode is reported by an epigraph still existing in the monastery.
It is said that on the night of the feast of St. Michael the Archangel in 1525, the nuns of the monastery would have seen a very bright light remain suspended for almost an hour over the Franciscan church of Our Lady of the Mount, later releasing sworn testimony of the event. It is also said that St. Leonard of Port Maurice (1676-1751), visiting the monastery, planted an almond tree in which he had impressed the Latin initial of the name of Jesus: J; a tree was born that would produce almonds with the imprint of the J. It is also said that a young woman, wishing to become a nun but encountering the opposition of the sisters of the convent, prostrated herself weeping before the Crucified Christ who would have spoken to her assuring the fulfillment of her desire. Indeed, a secret vote to decide on her vocation obtained all favorable votes and the young woman was thus able to consecrate herself to the Lord. During the Napoleonic suppression, the Crucifix was sold but was repurchased in 1817. It is still preserved in the monastery.
Between 1810 and 1817, the period in which the monastery and the church remained closed, the venerated image was taken with them by the Clarisses to the residence where they resided during those years, in the central area of the city. The nuns returned on 26/6/1817. The church of St. Clare is a national monument.
1815: Pius VII, passing through Genoa, granted some indulgences to the Clarisses for the venerated image. 19/11/1818: Pius VII granted 500 days of indulgence to those who prayed before the venerated image, and plenary indulgence to the faithful who visited the church, confirmed and communicated, on the days of June 26, 27, 28 of each year.
By instrument drawn up on 07/03/1498, the Cistercian nuns (remaining in the monastery only four) promise the Commissioner of the Provincial Vicar of the Regular Observance of St. Francis of Genoa, Fr. Giovanni da Sestri, to give him possession of the monastery with all the connected properties; he commits to introducing within 20 days 7 nuns of the Order of St. Clare, dependent on the Vicar General of the Regular Observance of St. Francis. The taking of possession occurred on 09/03/1498.
Teodosio di Camilla reserved for himself and his heirs the patronage and the right to elect the abbess.

San Martino, Genoa, Italy