St. Augustine's Church

St. Augustine’s Church

St. Augustine’s Church (commonly known as Igreja de São Agostinho on the Largo da Graça), located in the Largo da Graça of Macau, is part of the Historic Centre of Macau.

It was built by monks of the Order of St. Augustine. Initially, its roof was made of palm leaves, which fluttered in the wind like dragon whiskers, hence it was once called the Dragon Whiskers Temple, and later renamed the Dragon Hill Temple.

During the first weekend of Lent each year, the church’s statue of the Crucified Christ is carried to the Cathedral and returned the next day (commonly referred to as “the outing of the Great Jesus”), one of Macau’s important religious events.

According to Frei Francisco Manrique, who founded the church, Spanish Augustinian monks built a monastery and the Chapel of Our Lady of Grace on the hill. At first, its roof was thatched with palm leaves, which in the wind resembled dragon whiskers, so it was called the Dragon Whiskers Temple, later renamed the Dragon Hill Temple. In 1589, when the church came under Portuguese clergy, a new church dedicated to the Virgin Mary was constructed on the current site in 1591. In 1872, the main nave and sacristy of the church collapsed, leading to renovations in 1875, resulting in the structure seen today.

St. Augustine’s Church was established in 1591 by Spanish Augustinian monks. The original structure was very rudimentary, and the friars covered the roof with fan palm leaves to shield against wind and rain. When strong winds blew, the palm leaves flapped in the air, and the Chinese who saw them from afar thought the sight resembled standing dragon whiskers, so they called the church the “Dragon Whiskers Temple,” later locally pronounced as “Dragon Hill Temple.” After renovations in 1874, the church took on its present form. The church’s two-day Good Friday Procession of the Suffering Christ has a history of over 400 years and is one of the major liturgical celebrations of the Catholic Church in Macau.

In 2005, it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Historic Centre of Macau.