The church of St James, formerly known as St Mary de Russis, was completely rebuilt in 1647 by Canon Vito Fontanella, as shown by the epigraph on the façade. Given the orientation of the building, some have speculated that the entrances were also altered, as well as certainly the roofing. Looking at the portal, one can see elephants on the sides and, at the top right, a lioness with a cub in her jaws. These depictions suggest that, in a mirror position, there was a lion and that the present griffin was originally intended for the centre of the portal. Anthropomorphic figures can also be seen forming a fascinating calendar carved in stone. At the top of the building, on the cornice, protomes stand out. The interior, with a single hall, preserves a fresco believed to date back to the 13th century. In adjacent rooms, fragments of frescoes emerge, including one depicting the Trinity. The current crypt houses the Fontanella tombstone. Tradition has it that this place hosted the first burial of the patron saint, St Nicholas the Pilgrim.