Travel Report: Saint Lawrence’s Church Macau.

February 2018. I don’t think Wonderboy and I managed to see ALL the churches in Macau, but we must have gotten pretty damn close! This one is Saint Lawrence’s Church Macau, one of the peninsula’s oldest structures dating back to the mid sixteenth century.

Saint Lawrence’s Church, Macau.

St. Lawrence’s Church is an impressive neo-classical structure peppered with touches of baroque details. This is the main room, Hall of the Soothing Winds, where the families of Portuguese sailors used to gather to pray for the safe return of their loved ones out at sea.

Saint Lawrence’s Church, Macau.

St. Lawrence is the patron saint of navigation, a sea god in the eyes of the Portuguese who protects people from the wrath of the elements. Images of the old dude decorate the altar, a bible clutched in his left hand, a staff in his right.

Saint Lawrence’s Church, Macau.

The gorgeous church garden.

For me, the thing that really sets St. Lawrence’s apart from the other churches we saw in Macau was its gorgeous garden. Bursting with palm trees, rose bushes and all manner of exotic plants, it’s certainly a lovely spot. 

The garden at St. Lawrence’s Church, Macau.

Moreover, the church garden features a series of beautiful glass panels showing engraved scenes from the bible. St. Lawrence’s Church and its garden are free to enter and open from 10:00-18:00 (Monday to Friday) & 10:00-13:00 (Saturdays). The church closes on Sundays.

For more on my time in this amazing corner of China, check out my other articles on Macau.

Like these? Then why not leaf through my many other reports from across China.

I’ve also written a short story series called Challenged in China.

I’ve been living, working and traveling all over the world since 2001. So why not check out my huge library of travel reports from over 30 countries.