St. Lawrence Church

IGREJA DO SAO LORENZO

This is one of the more beautiful churches of Macau.
St. Lawrence Church was originally built of wood in the 1560, rebuilt in clay in 1618and finally reconstructed in stone around 1803.
Enter the church through a beautiful stone staircase and through an ornamental gate.
Inside you will find St. Lawrence Church surrounded by a garden filled with palm trees.
The church has twin towers and the nave is covered with Chinese tiles.
Enter St. Lawrence Church to appreciate the rich interior. Note the wooden ceiling in turquoise, white and gold beams, intricate woodwork and hanging chandeliers.
Get near the high alter to pray to St. Lawrence who is robed in rich vestments and accompanied by a small cherub.
Above the saint is a stained glass window with a dove of peace, a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

St. Augustine Church

IGREJA DO SAO AGOSTINHO

The St Augustine Church is part of a monastery founded in 1586 by Spaniards. The facade was originally of Baroque style but the existing facade is more neoclassic dating from 1814.
St Augustine Church's marble-clad high altar contains a statue of Christ carrying the cross, Our Lord of the Passion (Nosso Senhor dos Passos).
Legend says that when the statue was moved to the Cathedral by Church authorities it would somehow return to St Augustine Church.
Ever since a procession is held every year on the first Sunday of Lent.
From St Augustine Church the statue is taken to the Cathedral for a night. The following day, the figure is carried through the streets back to the cathedral. Stations of the Cross are set up along the route.
This event is attended by the clergy and hundreds of Chinese faithful and believers.
Another twist of the story occured in 1712. That time the anti-Catholic government expelled the Augustinians and banned the Passos procession from St Augustine Church.
Suddenly there was a food shortage. The local Chinese immediately associated the two events. They therefore demanded that "the man with the cross" walk the streets again. Eventually the procession resumed and as expected, the shortage ended.
English services are held in St Augustine Church every Saturday and Sunday.
The deceased wife of the famous one-armed Captain Antonio Albuquerque is buried inside St Augustine Church.
Maria de Moura is the romantic heroine who married Coelho in 1710 who lost an arm thanks to one of her unsuccessful suitors. Unfortunately she died in child-birth and is buried with her baby and arm of Antonio. The tomb is right behind the main altar.
Three of the best paintings in St Augustine Church are now in the Luis Camoes Museum. These paintings are those of Saint Monica, Saint Augustine's mother, Saint Rita of Cassia and Saint Thomas of Vilanova.

The Cathedral Church of Macau and Bishop's Palace

IGREJA DA SE

The Cathedral of Macau has a very long history. First built in 1576, it was originally a samll wooden structure.
In 1849, local catholic parishioners collected donations to rebuild the church. The new cathedral covered the same size it has today. A year later, on 14 February 1850, the then Bishop Jeronimo Jose da Mata, consecrated the church and administered the first Holy Mass.
However, the cathedral was almost destroyed in a typhoon 24 years later.
The Cathedral was finally rebuilt in 1937 in concrete. This is how it appears today. Rebuilding at that time cost MOP100,900.
The Cathedral is built on the site of the first church of Our Lady of Hope of St. Lazarus. That church was the mother church of the Macau diocese which then included the religious provinces of China, Japan, Korea and other islands adjacent to China.

OUR LADY OF FATIMA PROCESSION IN MACAU

FATIMA FEASTDAY PROCESSION IN THE VICINITY OF LEAL SENADO NEAR THE CHURCH OF SAO DOMINGO

CATHOLIC MACAU: Easter Week Pilgrimage 2008

IGREJA DA NOSSA SENHORA DO CARMO, TAIPA, MACAU
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church
Built in 1885, this church stands on a hill overlooking what use to be the sea , the colonial mansions, and over the other side of the hill, the bustling Taipa Village and the Yek Long Firecracker Factory