The Procession of Our Lady of Fatima, Macau

The devotion to Our Lady of Fatima in Macau predated the official permission of the cult – which only occurred in 1930 with the Pastoral Letter “Divine Providence” from the Bishop José Alves Correia da Silva, of Leiria.  

The first procession took place on May 13, 1929, starting from the Church of St. Dominic, with a statue sent from Portugal. It was promoted by the illustrious Father Manuel Joaquim Pintado (1921-1995), with solemn Mass presided over by Bishop José da Costa Nunes (1880-1976). The procession followed the route between the Cathedral, the Senate Square and the Church of St. Dominic.

The success of this first procession led to the creation of an entity to ensure its continuity. The Congregation of Our Lady of Fatima, promoted by Father António Roliz (1873-1933), was founded in December of that year (1929) and, from then on, was responsible for organizing the Marian festivities.

In 1930, the ceremonies were held with great solemnity, with the procession ending at the Penha Hermitage, a route that remains to this day. It was a very well-attended and devout procession, with great participation from all communities.

During the Second World War, the procession continued and was somehow revived by the special situation in Macau, where thousands of people took refuge.

From 1978 onwards, the liturgy began to be celebrated in Portuguese and Cantonese so that all the members of the community could pray in their own language.

Missionaries from Macau introduced this devotion in the missions in Shiu-Hing (China), Malacca, Singapore and Timor; from the Portuguese missions it spread to foreign missions, extending throughout many lands of the Far East.

The Procession

The procession departs from the Church of St. Dominic and ends at the Hermitage of Penha. It is usually presided over by the Bishop of Macau, with the participation of a large part of the clergy and religious institutions of the city, and accompanied by thousands of people.

The procession includes three local children, dressed in traditional Portuguese attire, representing the Shepherd Children of Fatima, and a group of girls dressed in white from the Congregation of Our Lady of Fatima. It is accompanied by the recitation of the rosary in Portuguese, English and Cantonese, as well as hymns and songs to the Virgin Mary.

The procession has always had a great impact on the city, being one of the most expressive religious celebrations in the City of the Holy Name of God of Macau.

It is currently listed on the Cultural Heritage List of Macau.

The Chapel of Macau in the Sanctuary of Fatima in Leiria

In the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima (Leiria, Portugal), there is a chapel established in 1950 by the residents of Macau in thanksgiving for Our Lady’s protection of that land during the Pacific War, according to the inscription:

"The Catholics of Macau contributed to this Chapel, in gratitude to Our Lady of Fatima and to Portugal during the Second World War "

REFERENCES

• RANGEL, Jorge, Fátima e Macau – A propósito do Centenário das Aparições, Jornal Tribuna de Macau, May 15, 2017. https://jtm.com.mo/opiniao/fatima-macau-proposito-do-centenario-das-aparicoes/
• https://cronicasmacaenses.com/2012/02/05/procissao-de-ns-de-fatima-tradicao-em-macau/

PHOTOGRAPHIES

• Adelina Castelo

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