Church of St. Philip Neri is closely connected with the canon of Split and Bishop Nikola Bijanković of Split (Split, 15 August 1645 - Makarska, 10 August 1730). After beginning his ministry as a cleric teacher in 1672, Bijankovic decided to establish a Philippine congregation and to build a church dedicated to St. To Philip Neri. The noble Frane Soppe Papalic, who on 4 October 1676 gave Bijankovic one house and a wall next to it in Split, with the permanent obligation of annually pronouncing a certain number of Holy Masses in this intention. That year, Bijankovic and a group of priests began to live a common life according to the rules of St. Philip Neri. It is therefore considered that in 1676 the Congregation of the Oratory of Sts. Philip Neri in Split. The permit for the construction of the church was issued in 1679 by Vicar General Ivan Kuparić (Cuppareo). The construction of the church began on January 2 of the same year at the site of Papalic's house, with which two more were purchased. The modest rectangular church was completed in 1680.