MACAU (Fides): The Diocese of Macau officially launched its year-long programme of celebrations and initiatives for the 450th anniversary of its establishment, originally founded in 1576, at 7.00pm on January 23.
The celebrations encompassed the nine parishes, where on Friday the Lux Vera [true light] was lit and a prayer vigil was held.
The Jubilee Year, proclaimed to mark the 450th anniversary of the diocese, is scheduled to conclude on 23 January 2027.
Macau has played a key role in the evangelising mission in the Far East, serving as a bridge between East and West, and as a driving force for charitable works, education, and cultural initiatives.
During the Jubilee Year, those who go on pilgrimage to the parish of St. Joseph of the diocesan seminary have the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence granted by the Apostolic Penitentiary, provided they fulfil the traditional conditions.
The Diocese of Macau officially launched its year-long programme of celebrations and initiatives for the 450th anniversary of its establishment
In a pastoral letter from Bishop Stephen Lee Bun-sang, entitled “From Macau to the World: We Build Future with an Eye to the Past, Witness to the Heritage, Mission in the World”, Bishop Lee retraced the history of the Diocese of Macau, expressing gratitude to missionaries and to all those who have preserved and transmitted the faith of the Apostles through the generations.
Bishop Lee wrote, “Pope Gregory XIII promulgated the Papal Bull that officially established the Diocese of Macao. Since then, Macau has become an important hub for evangelisation in the Far East. Countless diocesan priests, missionaries from various lands, and members of male and female religious orders and societies of apostolic life—especially those missionaries who came to the East from Portugal in the past—used Macau as a base to sow the seeds of the gospel in Mainland China, Japan, Korea, and throughout Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malacca, and Timor-Leste.”
Solemnly celebrating the 450th anniversary of the diocese, Bishop Lee emphasised, is not about “boasting past glory, but to discern the future direction in Christ.”
“It is an act of memory [Anamnesis], to give thanks in memory for God’s work of redemption,” the bishop wrote.
Since its founding, the Diocese of Macau has venerated St Catherine of Siena and St Francis Xavier as its patron saints
Alongside the opening ceremony, commemorative stamps for the Jubilee were also presented on January 23.
The diocese’s new landmark, the Catholic Centre, is set to open mid-year and will host two special exhibitions: “We Build Future with an Eye to the Past” and “Witness to the Heritage, Mission in the World.” The “Diocesan Family Day Carnival” will be held on 28 November, and the “Walking Together, Setting Sail Anew” Youth Gathering is scheduled for December 5.
In the second quarter, a symposium entitled “Catholic Education: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” and a roundtable discussion among school principals will form part of the academic exchange programme.
Since its founding, the Diocese of Macau has venerated St Catherine of Siena and St Francis Xavier as its patron saints, affirming its missionary character, vocation for cultural exchange, and commitment to the promotion of moral virtues—qualities reflected in its motto, Scientia et Virtus [knowledge and virtue].
Currently, the diocese comprises nine parishes, 28 educational institutions, Caritas centres, and a publishing house responsible for communications. More than 70 priests and seminarians, together with around 130 nuns, provide pastoral service to approximately 30,000 baptised persons.
