MM003-St. Dominic’s Church

This church was established in 1587 by three Spanish Dominican priests who originally came from Acapulco, in Mexico. It was originally built in wood, hence its naming in Chinese as Pan Cheong Tong meaning “Church of Wooden Planks”. This church is connected to the Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary. In 1929, this church integrated the worship of Our Lady of Fatima into its religious service, based on the account of the miraculous sighting that three shepherd children witnessed in Fatima, Portugal. After its establishment in Macao, the popular belief of Our Lady of Fatima expanded to Shiu-Hing, Timor, Philippines, Singapore, Malacca and other regions. St. Dominic’s Church maintains the tradition of organizing a procession through the city, held on 13th May every year. The insignia of the Dominicans is displayed on the pediment that crowns the building façade. The building has a typical Basilican plan and presents some Baroque influences in the interior decorative elements. A three-storey high bell tower is located close to the sacristy area, where a small sacred art museum was installed during the restoration works of 1997.