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Thus is the Blessed Julia, to whom Certaldo has always expressed great devotion, defined. The blessed woman rests in the Church of Santi Jacopo e Filippo, in front of a bust of Certaldo’s most famous son, Giovanni Boccaccio, allowing us to become acquainted with the spirituality of this center in the Valdelsa. The Blessed Julia was part of a group of hermit saints in the Valdelsa, similar to Fina of San Gimignano and Veridiana of Castelfiorentino. There are many similarities, especially to the latter, from their modest origins and their extremely humble work, one worked for the Attavanti family, and Julia worked for the Tinolfi family of Certaldo where she was a maidservant. Following the Tinolfis, who moved to the city in the 1340’s, Julia also went to Florence where – unlike Veridiana who was never part of any order – she joined the Augustinians, who later, together with the Tinolfis, promoted her cult.

The Parish Church of San Lazzaro a Lucardo was the mother church for the churches of Certaldo, the Church of Santi Tommaso e Prospero and the Church of Santi Jacopo e Filippo, at one time of Santi Michele e Jacopo. Set a little outside the town along the Via Francigena, it had very ancient origins, since it was already mentioned in the10th century. Its period of major splendor was during the 13th century when it was guided by prominent priests and rectors. At that time, there were six suffragans that became sixteen in the following century. Its architecture is an interesting example of the importation of Lombard Romanesque to Tuscany, as exemplified especially by the three apses articulated by subtle pilasters that come together in hanging arches, creating an airy gallery with a clear Lombard imprint. It is the most authentic and untouched part of the building, while the façade, which preserves the antique tri-partition of the Romanesque era, was remodeled with the addition of a central window.