The Holy House of Mercy of Macau (; ), is a historic building in

Senado Square The Senado Square, or Senate Square (; ), is a paved town square in Sé, Macau, Sé, Macau, China, and part of the UNESCO Historic Centre of Macau World Heritage Site. It is an elongated triangular shaped square and connects Largo do São Dom ...

, Sé,

Macau Macau or Macao is a special administrative regions of China, special administrative region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). With a population of about people and a land area of , it is the most List of countries and dependencies by p ...

. Established as a branch of the

Santa Casa da Misericórdia Santa Casa da Misericórdia is a charitable institution whose mission is to treat and support the sick, the disabled, and orphans. Founded in Lisbon in 1498 by Queen Leonor of Portugal, the institution grew into a network of charitable organizat ...

, it was first built in 1569 on the orders of the

Bishop of Macau Portuguese Jesuit priest Melchior Miguel Carniero Leitão was appointed Titular Bishop of Nicaea Pope Gregory XIII issued an edict for the establishment of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Macau, where Leitão served—he was appointed the firs ...

Belchior Carneiro Leitão Belchior Carneiro Leitão, SJ, often known as Melchior Carneiro (1516 – 19 August 1583) was a Portuguese Jesuit missionary bishop. He was one of the first Jesuit bishops. Life He entered the Society of Jesus on 25 April 1543 and was appoin ...

. It was a medical clinic and several other social welfare structures in early Macau. It later served as an orphanage and refuge for widows of sailors lost at sea. It is part of the

Historic Centre of Macau The Historic Centre of Macao (, ) is a collection of over twenty locations that witness the unique assimilation and co-existence of Chinese and Portuguese cultures in Macau, a former Portuguese colony. It represents the architectural legacies of ...

, a

UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

External links

Official website of the Holy House of MercyHoly House of Mercy, Information from Macau Government Tourist Office
*
Holy House of Mercy, Archival Background
from the

Archives of Macao The Archives of Macao (; ) is a general archive in São Lázaro, Macau. It collects, processes, protects and make available records pertaining Macau. History The Archives of Macao was founded as Macao General Archives (Arquivo Geral de Macau; � ...

Religious buildings and structures completed in 1569 Buildings and structures in Macau Historic Centre of Macau 1569 establishments in China 1569 establishments in the Portuguese Empire 16th-century establishments in Macau Portuguese colonial architecture in China Classified immovable properties {{Macau-struct-stub

See also

External links