SANTO AGOSTINHO CHURCH

Erigée in 1586 by Spanish Augustines, the church Saint-Augstin was again occupied by the Portuguese three years later. The current building dates back to 1874. A legend says that when the statue of Christ was installed in the church, she mysteriously returned to Santo Agostinho. In commemoration of this miracle, the Augustins carried out an annual procession (Nosso Senhor dos Passos), tracing the path traveled. The Augustins were expelled in 1712, and there was no longer procession. Shortly afterwards, famine began. The local Chinese combined the two events and asked that «man on the cross» be again worn through the streets of Macao. It was the first church to offer a service in English in Macao. In the past, during heavy rains, priests used palm leaves to strengthen the roof. Seen by far, these leaves seemed to be dragon mustards floating in the wind, hence his nickname Long Song Miu (Temple of Long Mustache) given by the Chinese.