Intangible Cultural Heritage

Procession of the Passion of Our Lord

Taking place on the first Saturday and Sunday of Lent, the Procession of the Passion of Our Lord, locally also known as the "Procession of the great Jesus" in chinese, is part of the Catholic “Novena of the Passion of Our Lord, the God Jesus”.

The Procession is participated by the Bishop of the Diocese of Macao, the clergy members and a vast number of local and foreign faithful, accompanied by the Public Security Police Force Music Band playing the funeral march along. It follows the form of the “Way of the Cross”, recalling the experiences of Passion and death of Jesus depicted in the Bible. Currently, the procession takes place over two days. It starts from the St. Augustine’s Church heading to the Cathedral on the first day and returns on the second day. At each designated "Station" on the return route, a female taking the role of Veronica solos a sorrowful song and responded by a priest and the participants in prayers and songs, giving a sense of grief conveyed in the air. The Procession boasts a long history in Macao. It can be traced back to 1708. It is one of the city’s representative religious events with distinctive features.