ABSTRACT
Macau, an ex-Portuguese colony, was the first and last European outpost in Asia. It was the centre of sea trade, and was also a stepping stone to China for missionaries who travelled from Europe (Cheng 1999). After the establishment of the Catholic Diocese of Macau in 1576, a number of religious groups used Macau as their gateway to the Far East. With full Portuguese influence in the administration and political environments in Macau, the Catholic Church gained much power, dominance and popularity, even – though slowly – among the local Chinese. Architectural marvels like baroque churches and seminaries become today’s much-prized UNESCO World Heritage sites, which were inscribed onto the list in 2005 (Du Cros 2009).
