Views of Faith at Our Lady of Penha Chapel

The beginning point of my heritage walk is Our Lady of Penha Chapel at Colina de Penha. Also known as Penha Hill, Colina de Penha is the third highest elevation point in all of Macau at 62.7 meters above sea level. In Portuguese, Penha means “a cliff by the sea.” At this vantage point, the view of Nam Van Lake is open and beautiful.

Our Lady of Penha Chapel has an interesting history. Its first structure was established in 1622 by the Augustinian priests (although the Jesuits were traditionally the preeminent order that came to Portuguese Asia). The church originated from a crew of the ship São Bartholomeu, the sail of which was pursued by the Dutch when it was near Formosa, en route to Japan.

The crew decided that, if they were to make it back to Macau safely, they would certainly dedicate a church to the Virgin Mary. As such, it is the chapel of choice for the faithful seafaring followers, whose prayers were almost always about safe voyages.

#macau #penha #catholic_church #asia #historicallandmark

Post by Helen Yu (Chestnut Journal) | Oct 4, 2025