Holy House of Mercy

The Holy House of Mercy (Santa Casa da Misericórdia) is a heritage institution in Macau, built in 1569 by the country’s first Bishop, D. Belchior Carneiro.

It was modelled after the Holy House of Mercy, one of Portugal’s oldest and most famous charity groups.

Holy House of Mercy, Senado Square, Building, hours, Price, Macau

The Holy House of Mercy has helped with numerous social welfare programs since its establishment. During its early days, it was pivotal in providing support needed by the widows and orphans of sailors who passed away at sea, another close association with the rich maritime history of Macau. While helping those in need, the organisation always followed the Christian guidelines set out by Portugal.

Today, the Holy House of Mercy has become an important landmark, renowned as the oldest social institution in the country. It still continues the tradition of social welfare work, primarily carried out by local Portuguese as well as Roman Catholic members.

Aside from social work, they also assist with caring for the Holy House of Mercy Museum, renovating facilities, and helping with child-care services. They also help care for the older population through its Our Lady of Mercy Home for the Elderly and the visually impaired through the Rehabilitation Centre for the Blind, among other programs.

For visitors, the building itself has many features to admire. Since the beautiful main building and the adjacent alley were recently renovated, one can take a stroll to see the decorative arcade featuring plasters and columns. The whole building has been painted in white, which exudes a sense of elegance and calmness.

In addition, the building follows a neo-classical design. Right by the main building, one can find the Members Club, which opened just in 2001.