History of the Catholic Church in Spain who was active in many different modes of religion, including organizing convents and new congregations, and developing the theology of the Counter Reformation in Spain that permanently minimized the Protestant influence there. In the 1620s Spain debated who should be the nation's patron saint- the current patron Saint James Matamoros (Saint James the Moor-slayer) or a combination of him and the newly canonized Saint Teresa of Ávila. Teresa's promoters said Spain faced new challenges, especially the threat of Protestantism, and the declining society at home and needed a modern patron saint who understood these problems and could lead the Spanish
The Martyrdom of Saint Philip work by Ribera. It is less caravagesque than his previous works, showing the influence of Guido Guido Reni and Domenichino. "The Martyrdom of Saint Philip " was likely commissioned by the II Duke of Medina de las Torres as a gift to King Philip IV of Spain; Philip the Apostle was his patron saint. For a long time, the painting was part of the royal collection. It survived the fire in de Royal Alcázar in 1734 was subsequently installed in the Buen Retiro Palace and the Royal Palace of Madrid. Sometime after 1818 the painting was moved to the Prado.