St Dominics Church

St. Dominic’s Church is a historic Catholic church established by Spanish Dominican priests in 1587.

It was built to enshrine a statue of Our Lady of the Rosary.

St. Dominics Church, History, Sunday Mass Times, Museum, Macau

After the church was built, Portuguese disciples took over the church. It underwent revisions, one using camphorwood and another using stone in the 17th century. Today, the church is recognised as one of the oldest and most significant in Macau. It sets the backdrop for the annual Macau International Music Festival, and inside, it has many beautiful features worth visiting.

St. Dominic’s Church has three halls in its interior, while Spanish crowns decorate its ceiling. Coloured glass accentuates the main halls. On the altar, one can find a statue of the Virgin and Child and two statues of Jesus Christ. Though it had a bell tower on its third floor, a maintenance project set out by the Macau government in 1991 had it converted into a museum; now known as the Museum of Sacred Arts, it houses many stunning sculptures and other pieces of Catholic art.

With some 300 artefacts on display, visitors will surely learn many interesting historical and religious facts here. In addition, one can observe the various cultural influences in the church design, including Chinese, Portuguese, and even Spanish.

Many tourists stop by the church while exploring Senado Square or coming from an iconic attraction nearby, the Ruins of St. Paul’s. A visit to Macau would not be complete unless you spend time in Senado Square, but aside from this church, there are other important sights to see: the Leal Senado Building, General Post Office, Macau Cathedral, Macao Museum, and the Lou Kau Mansion.

St. Dominic’s Church is a must-visit while in Macau.