Religion in Macau
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Religion in Macau means the religion which can be find in Macau Special Administrative Region. In the past, the Catholic was the government religion of the Portuguese government in Macau, but now there is not any government religion in Macau.
The Macau government practice the Freedom of religion and respect the Right of the people in Macau. Base 3:34 of the Macau Basic Law, "The people in Macau can have the freedom of belief; People in Macau have the freedom of religion and they can preach, hold or participate in the activities of religion." Also, in the 3:120, "The Macao Special Administrative Region base on the principle of the freedom of religion and belief, the government does not intervene the interior of religion, the religion organization and the believers to keep in touch and develop the relationship with the religion organization and the believers of the oversea of Macau." The religion organization can start the religion college or other schools, hospitals and the welfare organization or others case work in accordance with the law; The schools which are started by religion organization can continue their religion education, include to teach the religion lessons; The religion organization can have the right for obtain, use, handle, inherit and adopt the contribution base on the law. The right in the wealth of religion organization is protected by the law."
To compare the kinds of religion between Macau and Hong Kong, the kinds of religion is not many in Macau. In the structure of the religion believers, Macau as like as others Chinese community, people usually believe in the traditional belief of the Folk religion, most of the believers are Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism(About 30.7% population in 1996); Because of the historical background of Macau, the Roman Catholic Church and Protestant Church of the Christianity are animated in Macau community and have some believers to support them, included some alternative Christianity(About 8.4% in 1996). Also, the Islam and the Bahá'í Faith have some believers in Macau who are lower than one thousand people.[1]
The religion which is the activist in the case work is the Catholic now. However, because of the limit of the resources and Portuguese Government is partial for Catholic, others religions have no chance to participated the case work. However, after the Macau return to China, the government haven't partial for Catholic Church anymore.
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[edit] Protection by the Basic Law
The Basic Law of Macau provides for freedom of conscience, freedom of religious belief, freedom to preach, and freedom to conduct and participate in religious activities. Mainland China does not govern religious practices in Macau. The Basic Law states that "The Government of Macau Special Administrative Region, consistent with the principle of religious freedom, shall not interfere in the internal affairs of religious organizations or in the efforts of religious organizations and believers in Macau to maintain and develop relations with their counterparts outside Macau, or restrict religious activities which do not contravene the laws of the Region.
The Religious Freedom Ordinance requires religious organizations to register with Macau's Identification Services Office. There have been no reports of discrimination in the registration process. The Freedom of Religion Ordinance, which remained in effect after the handover, provides for freedom of religion, privacy of religious belief, freedom of religious assembly, freedom to hold religious processions, and freedom of religious education. It also stipulates that religious groups may maintain and develop relations with religious groups abroad.
[edit] Traditional Belief
[edit] Confucianism
Lots of people who live in Macau are Chinese, the culture of Macau are influenced by Chinese Confucianism and morality. In 1909, the Macau Confucianism organization was started, the organization was subordinated by Beijing Confucianism Organization at first, but independent later. The purpose of the Macau Confucianism Organization is to "respect Confucianism, spread the holy virtue, educate the talented, promote the culture". Chinese usually value the spirit and culture of the virtue. To spread the Confucianist spirit and culture of virtue, in 1913 the Organization started a small school in Macau. in order to popularize it in the folk education. In 1960, the organization printed the Confucianism Select for Secondary School. It has collected about 74 sayings from Analects of Confucius, Mencius (Book) and other Confucianist classics, in order to let students to recite them.
It is the birthday of Confucius in the 27th August of the lunar calendar, the Organization will lead the Chinese and schools which are comes from different classes to hold the ceremony commemorate and sacrifice.
[edit] Buddhism
昔日澳門屬香山，故一般認為佛敎自廣東傳入澳門。其源可追溯至唐代咸通年的眞敎禪師，直至宋代佛敎已盛行。位於望廈村的普濟禪院是早期的寺廟之一，初建於元朝，現在的建築則建於明代天啟七年(即1627年)。另外，位於氹仔的菩提禪院，乃澳門佛敎凈土宗的重要道場。
一直以來，澳門的佛教組織和寺廟各自為政。直至1995年，為了更好的弘揚佛法，健釗法師和機修法師發起成立澳門佛教總會。澳門佛教總會每年都在菩提禪院舉行靜修營，造就澳門的佛教信徒了解佛法。現時，活躍於澳門的佛敎社團組織還有：澳門佛學社、澳門佛敎解行社、永善蓮苑、佛敎普和會和國際聯密佛敎慈航會澳門分會等。
[edit] Taoism
道教是中華民族的本土宗敎，而昔日澳門接連內陸，其源可追溯至3世紀的廣東番禺。 《香山縣志》記載傳説的仙女澳（即大橫琴島），與澳門接近，有視之為澳門及其附近島嶼與道敎發展有關的最早資料。道敎信仰傳入澳門，最遲在南宋的紹興年間(1131-1162)，因當時信奉三清、魯靈光、玄武、天后、東岳大帝、城隍、康王神等道敎神仙的崇拜活動已遍及香山地區。及至元朝，道教的發展也必影響澳門地區，道教所供奉的神祇，如：譚公、洪聖爺、文昌帝君、關帝、北帝、城隍等崇拜都見於澳門。
媽祖信仰可說是澳門最早與道敎信仰有關的史實，其建築有明代成化年間由閩商人興建的媽祖廟。至於正統的道敎史跡，澳門則建有三巴門的呂祖仙院、醫靈廟內張天師殿、濟公殿等。澳門民間除供奉道敎的主要神祇外，還有信奉和崇祀石敢當、財帛星君、魯班先師、華光大帝、華佗先師、福神、太歲和侯王等道敎神靈。現存於澳門的道教有關的建築共33間(包括4間觀音廟)，著名的有：媽祖閣廟、馬交石天后古廟、蓮峰廟內的天后宮、路環天后古廟、譚公廟、康公廟等。經過數百年的發展， 現澳門的道教團體可歸納為道教廟宇、全真派壇堂及正一派散居道院三個類型。2001年成立的澳門道教協會，是促進澳門道教與國內外交流和宣揚道教文化的社團組織。
[edit] Christianity
[edit] Roman Catholic Church
1555年，天主教修會耶穌會會士巴來多(Melchior Numes Barreto)神父到達澳門，開展了天主教在澳門的歷史。1562年，瘋王堂、花王堂和風順堂的小敎堂建成，成為天主敎在澳門最早的教堂，隸屬於馬六甲教區。直到1576年，教宗額我略十三世批准成立天主教澳門教區，為近代遠東第一個主教區。首任駐澳門署理主敎為賈耐勞主敎(即仁慈堂創辦人)，主敎座堂設於望德堂。早期管轄範圍極廣，包括中國、日本、越南、東南亞沿海各島嶼。1579年，羅明堅神父開始在澳門學習中文。其後著名傳教士利瑪竇於1582年應召前往澳門，並在次年隨羅明堅至廣東肇慶傳敎，但後來被逐回澳門。天主教在中國禮儀之爭期間，澳門天主敎敎區的工作嚴重受到影響。在1757年，葡萄牙首相龐倍下令驅逐耶穌會會士，更進一步使天主敎的發展受到沉重打擊。結果，澳門境內的敎堂和修院都被空置。及後到1835年-1836年，大三巴與大堂相繼被毀，主敎座堂從而遷至玫瑰堂。[2]
直至1926年，葡萄牙重新准予天主敎活動，天主敎才在澳門再度活躍。1941年發生的太平洋戰爭期間，天主敎致力於賑災。到1950年代，澳門天主敎敎區開始致力於教育事務。其後，澳門敎區積極參與文化、社會福利等工作。1965年，澳門敎區按澳葡政府行政區規劃，五大堂區分別為大堂區、聖安多尼堂區、望德堂區、聖老楞佐堂區及花地瑪聖母堂區。1988年，林家駿神父成為澳門敎區出現首位華人主敎。據1996年的人口統計，天主教徒佔澳門人口的6.7%，約30,000多名兒童就讀於天主教學校。因回歸前大量葡萄牙人和土生葡人離開澳門，現時的信徒以華人為主。現今天主教澳門教區只管理澳門地區內六個堂區，當中學校有39間，社會服務機構27間，其他機構共21所。
[edit] Protestant Church
In 1807, Rev. Dr. Robert Morrison, the first Protestant missionary to China, arrived in China via Macau. He started his missionary work in China after his arrival. However, Morrison's object was the Chinese that lived in Guangzhou, so he had not yet started a Chinese Protestant church in Macau. Later, after the Opium War of 1842, the Qing Dynasty gave Hong Kong to United Kingdom, and the Protestant missionaries and the British who lived in Macau all moved to Hong Kong, including all the British Protestants, so there were few Protestant Christians in Macau for a long time. By the 20th century, some Chinese Protestants had meetings in some Christian homes. The most famous Chinese Christians to open their homes for Christian to meet were Mr. Lui De Shan and Dr. Yu Mei De. For the support from the churches in Hong Kong, Ji Dou Church, which is the first Chinese Protestant church in Macau (its name was Ji Dou Hall at first), was registered with the Macau Portuguese Government in 1905, and church was built at Hei Sha Huan. Also, the Macau Baptist Church, the second Chinese Protestant church in Macau, was started. Many Chinese Protestant churches were founded thereafter. Today there are about 4,000 Protestants in Macau who participate in church worship activities. An average of just 50 people always participate in the worship at each church. Also, there are lots of churches in Macau that were founded by many different Communions from Hong Kong and other countries, such as the Anglican Church, Baptist Church and Lutheran Church, but historically here was little cooperation among them. When the Union of Christian Evangelical Churches in Macau was started in 1990, the churches began greater cooperation with each other. In 2006, the 7th Chinese Congress on World Evangelization has held in Macau and it indirectly inspired the Protestant churches in Macau to unite.
Missionaries are free to conduct missionary activities and are active in Macau. More than 30,000 children are enrolled in Catholic schools, and a large number of influential non-Christians have received a Christian education. Religious entities may use electronic media to preach.
The Victoria Diocese of the Anglican Communion, established in 1849, included Macau as well as Hong Kong. When the Diocese of Chung Hwa Sheng Kung Hwei was established in 1912, Macau were included with Hong Kong and Guangdong. In 1951, following the change of the Chinese government, Hong Kong and Macau left the Diocese and established the The Sheng Kung Hui Diocese of Hong Kong and Macau. At the end of British administration in Hong Kong, the Diocese was succeeded by the Province of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui (also called the Hong Kong Anglican Church).
For the case works, because of the pressure from the Portuguese Government and the Roman Catholic Church, the Protestant churches are limited to do any case works. Also, the Protestant churches are limited by the inadequate resources and lots of Protestant schools were closed after the "3/12 movement" had happened, which makes the Protestant church has lesser participated in the education of Macau. There are seven Protestant Secondary Schools and Primary Schools in Macau at present. There are some recovery programs are hold up by some Protestant organization and obtain the government to support. The counsellings service of Protestant Organization are started by Macau Chinese Christian Missionary in 2005, and now just it has still provided the counsellings.
[edit] Others
基督宗教的新興教派亦活躍於澳門區內，其中有摩門教、新世界會社、新使徒教會、五旬節會、耶和華見證人、基督復臨安息日會和不同的獨立教會等。不過，當中一些教派的活動主要集中在傳教和崇拜，很少參與社會事務。但五旬節會則設有基督教澳門上帝青年中心總會，提供青少年服務。與大部分華人一樣，不同的基督教新興教派一般都被視為基督教，而不知道其分別的。對某些華人來說，更會將基督新教與天主教混淆，所以不曉得基督教的不同教派之存在。
[edit] Others religion
[edit] Islam
伊斯蘭教傳入澳門在明代以前，雖其確實時間仍有爭議，但一般認為由來自波斯擅長貿易的商人傳入的。在中國發生抗日戰爭時，有大批回教徒由肇慶逃難到澳門，逃避戰禍。目前，伊斯蘭教在澳門僅有一間澳門伊斯蘭清真寺及墳場，信徒僅有四百多人，其社團組織為澳門伊斯蘭會。
Islam has been present in Macau since before the Ming Dynasty. Although the exact time and manner of its introduction is disuputed, it is traditionally held that it was brought to the area by traders. During World War Two a large number of ethnically Hui Muslims fled to Macau to escape devastation in the rest of the country. At present Macau has one mosque and Muslim cemetery to serve the city's more than four hundred Muslims that associate under the name of "The Macau Islamic Society".
[edit] Bahá'í
巴哈伊教在10年全球宣敎運動中，選中澳門為傳敎地區之一。1935年，由來自美國加利福尼亞州的巴哈伊敎徒法蘭西斯·希拉太太(Mrs. Frances Heller)傳入澳門。1954年，嚴沛峰成為首位巴哈伊敎澳門居民。[3]直至1964年3月，澳门的巴哈伊教徒共有30人。1958年4月21日，巴哈伊地方靈體會正式成立。1962年，巴哈伊教傳播到氹仔島和路環島。1982年，澳門巴哈伊總靈體會在澳葡政府正式注册。澳門目前分4個巴哈伊教地方靈體會，全由澳門巴哈伊總靈體會所管理。[4]
[edit] Others
Macau has a small number of Falun Gong practitioners. Falun Gong practitioners continued their daily exercises in public parks where the police occasionally observed them once or twice a month, and checked identification. There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees or forced religious conversion. Relations among the various religious communities get along each others. People in Macau generally are very tolerant of other religious views and practices. Public ceremonies and dedications often include prayers by both Christian and Buddhist groups.
源自波斯的瑣羅亞斯德教曾於18世紀70年代，隨葡萄牙人從印度傳入澳門。1842年，瑣羅亞斯德教在香港註冊港澳白頭教慈善基金會。至今該教已經在澳門消聲匿跡，只留下白頭墳場。
而現今在澳門活動的新興宗教還有源於印度的國際基士拿知覺協會、綜合了古瑜伽的阿南達瑪迦、日本的神慈秀明會、澳門創價學會等，由於規模比較小，即使在澳門長大的本地人亦未必知曉其所在。
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Ithe International Nessage Department of United States Department of State:The international freedom of religion report of Macau
- ^ 澳門百科全書：天主敎
- ^ 澳門百科全書：巴哈伊敎
- ^ 澳门巴哈伊教
