Cathedral Square, Macau — Attraction in Sé

Cathedral Square is a little known spot in the Macau World Heritage centre just next to the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady otherwise known as Sé or simply - 'Cathedral'. This is a small cobblestone square with bench seating, seasonal decorations and a few permanent fixtures that are worth a few minutes to enjoy.

Here you find a nice fountain with an eclectic chalice-shaped structure topped with an iron globe and cross. It features a decoratively carved column base with dolphins plus seahorses near its top spouting water into an octagonal shaped basin. Nearby there is a simple cross sculpture as well.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of Cathedral Square are the circa (1830-40s) blue-and-white tiled murals which line the lower and backside of the square. The murals depict landscape scenes of Macau as seen through the eyes of 19th-century resident artist George Chinnery. They are beautiful and free artworks that most overlook while racing around the world heritage area. Give them a few minutes if you are interested in see what Macau would have looked like nearly two centuries ago.

For those interested in viewing more of George Chinnery, there is a gallery at Macau Museum of Art dedicated to his works. You will also find his tomb at the Protestant Cemetery at Camoes Square which is also part of the Macau World...

This is a nice public square done in a very European style. In fact when you're in here during December and January when the weather is cool, you might really think that you're in Europe with the architecture and atmosphere. This area is really nice and there's a park with benches...

【澳門苦難善耶穌聖像出遊】 【耶穌像出遊緣由】 耶穌像出遊是以「拜苦路」的方式紀念耶穌基督受審判後到埋葬的苦路。歷史可上溯至1708年，是澳門甚至是東南亞一帶難得一見的獨特宗教習俗。更於2017年被澳門文化局納入非物質文化遺產。

【耶穌像出遊進程】 首天大耶穌像會從聖奧斯定堂出發，由「澳門苦難善耶穌會」八人合力扛抬前往主教座堂。第一天聖像遊行的特色是在沈默中進行，好像表示大家伴同主耶穌前往受審的一種沈重。

翌日聖像出遊回聖奧斯定堂，而澳門治安警察局樂隊亦會沿途演奏哀歌，場面莊嚴。回程的遊行是紀念耶穌被判罪後所走的苦路，途中會有七個地點安放苦路處，每處會由一位扮演聖婦維羅尼加 (St Veronica) 的少女，以拉丁語朗唱哀歌一段:「你們所有路過的人啊， 請細心觀看，有誰的痛苦像我所受的一樣」。她同時向路人展示手拿印有耶穌臉容的白巾。所有參加遊行的教友均以拉丁語回應唱出：Parce Domine, parce populo tuo, ne in aeternum irascaris...