Friday, March 28, 2008

Penha Hill & Chapel 聖母小堂主教山 (圣母小堂主教山)

Located at the top of Penha Hill, Chapel of Our Lady of Penha was built by sailors who narrowly escaped capture by the Dutch. The chapel was later served as shrine for sailors embarking on often hazardous voyages.

The chapel today dates back to 1837, when it was completely rebuilt along with the Bishop's Palace. There is a bronze gravestone with Portuguese inscriptions, indicating the resting place of Bishop John Bouner of Macau who was buried here on 18 February 1918. The bell tower can be seen from anywhere at the harbour. Visitors can get a panoramic view of the inner harbour and the magnificent Macau-Taipa Bridge from the Chapel of Our Lady of Penha.

On one side of the open courtyard is a marble statue of the Virgin Mary facing China. Nearby is a gravestone indicating the final resting place of Bishop John Bouner of Macau, buried there on 18 February, 1918. A popular grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes is located at the foot of a flight of stone steps

Every year thousand of faithful joins the image of Our Lady of Fatima for a pilgrimage and procession on the 13th of May. The procession will ends in the little courtyard of Penha Church. Three children, dressed as the three child seers, lead the procession and thousands of devotees coming from all over, never fails to accompany the Blessed Virgin Mary.

主教山小堂, 建於澳門半島最高點之一的西望洋山上。 是一座向航海者的保護神祈禱的小教堂, 又稱海崖聖母小堂。 1622年建於炮台旁供在澳葡兵彌撒祈禱之用, 1892年附近古堡拆除后聖母堂得以逐步擴大, 1835年重建后成為今天宏偉之規模。

教堂建筑以高聳的門樓為主體, 三角形的屋頂上站立著聖母塑像。 教堂左則為1935年加建的主教府, 右則為鐘樓, 聖母堂前筑有高台, 置有一大理石雕刻而成的聖母像。 其下有一盧瑟聖母岩洞, 循左右環抱之石階而下可達洞前。 洞內岩石嶙峋, 中開拱門, 內立聖母像, 象徵古時聖母在法國盧瑟城內當眾顯靈的情景。 其間正置祭壇, 洞前有鐵柵圍繞, 地上設有多排低矮長凳供人跪拜, 懺悔。 盧瑟聖母岩洞前, 空階上有一塊刻有葡文的古銅墓碑, 是二十世紀初天主教澳門主教埋骨之處。 1918年2月18日約翰鮑連那主教逝世寄葬於此。

教堂四周花徑通幽, 古樹厚蔭, 建筑端麗, 環境優美, 更可居高臨下環視南西灣和中國大陸珠海市灣仔的風光。

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