EVENTS AND FESTIVALS
The following list of some major festivals
celebrated in Macau offers extra reasons to visit. It also illustrates the
wealth of traditions of this community’s multicultural heritage.
1.
CHINESE NEW YEAR
This festival is the most significant for most of the population, who try
to start the New Year with a clean record. They clean their houses and fill them
with flowers (you will find huge flowers market all over town) and set off
millions of firecrackers to drive away all evil spirits.
Children are given “Lucky Money “and families gather for banquets. For 10
days there are public events: dragon and lion dances in the streets, crowds
visiting the temples, music and dance shows take place in the most important
square of the city and everyone greets each other with the wish “Kung Hei Fat
Choi”, which means good fortune.
2.
“ SENHOR DOS PASSOS” ( PROCESSION OF THE PASSION
OF OUR LADY -LENT)
This is the most marvelous of Macau’s Christian processions. It features
the statue of Christ carrying the Cross, which usually stands at the altar of
St Augustine’s church. For the grand procession it is taken overnight to the
cathedral and the next morning carried via the Stations of the Cross through
the city, accompanied by the police band, all the local clergy is full regalia,
school children, fraternities, a small girl to sing the prayers and a large
number of the community (Catholic and otherwise).The procession ends at St
Augustine’s for a high mass.
3.
BIRTHDAY OF PAK TAI
According to myth, Pak Tai defeated the Demon King and liberated the
Universe from his terror. In remembrance Cantonese Opera is performed in a
matshed theatre in front of Pak Tai Temple on Taipa.
4.
FEAST OF THE BATHING OF THE LORD BUDDHA
On this day all the images of Buddha in the temples throughout Macau and
the islands are ceremonially washed.
5.
A MA FESTIVAL
On this date the local population (like many others throughout Southern
China) pays homage to the favourite Goddess of Seafarers. They decorate A Ma
Temples and make offerings in gratitude for her protection against storms.
6.
FEAST OF THE DRUNKEN DRAGON
This intriguing Chinese Festival begins in the morning at Kuan Tai Temple
(near S. Domingo’s Market), with celebrants parading through the streets to the
Inner Harbour and drinking until they drop. They are honouring a man who
managed to destroy an evil dragon when alcohol gave him courage.
7.
TAM KONG FESTIVAL
After A Ma, Tam Kong is the most venerated deity among fisherman and on
this day he is celebrated with Cantonese Opera performances, a street
procession and dragon and lion dances.
8.
MACAU ARTS FESTIVAL
This festival has grown over the years and now lasts 3 weeks with
performances of music, drama and comedy from Asia, Europe and other parts of
the world. There are also art exhibitions in places like the Cultural centre.
9.
PROCESSION OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA
The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima is very popular among Macanese Catholics.
They celebrate the vision of Our Lady in 1917 with a stately procession from St
Domingo’s church to the chapel of Our Lady of Penha. The statue of Our Lady is
carried by girls in white dresses and the clergy chant prayers as they make
their way through the streets.
10.
TUNG NG ( DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL)
This ancient Chinese Festival pays homage to honorable statesman who
drowned himself to protest against the corrupt government. Today, after solemn
prayers in the temples, everyone enjoys the festival, which centres on noisy,
colourful, exciting Dragon Boat Races, which take place on Sai Van Lake.
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