Religion in Macau

In Macau, there is no state religion, and the government of Macau allows its citizens to have freedom of religion, so every resident of Macau is free to practice a religion of their choice. There is a constitutional document called the Macau Basic Law drawn up, that protects the freedom of belief and religion in Macau.

According to the Article 3:34 of the Macau Basic Law: “The people in Macau are free to participate in religious activities and to preach as they wish.” It is also written in Article 3:120 that: “The Macau Special Administrative Region embraces the principle of freedom of religion and belief; the government will not interfere in the internal workings of a religious body or organization and the believers are free to maintain ties and to develop relationships with overseas religious organizations outside Macau.”

Religious organizations are free to establish religious educational institutions such as colleges or other schools, as well as welfare organizations and hospitals as long as they are in accordance with the law. There is also a freedom for people to teach in their religious institutions, and for religious organizations to handle, use, inherit, and get financial contributions. Therefore, everyone has a right to wealth regardless of their religious beliefs.

The number of different religious groups in Macau are far less in number when compared to Hong Kong, but they are still various and diverse religions that contribute to this makeup. More than three out of four quarters of the population in Macau are Buddhists. Since most of the people living in Macau are ethnic Chinese, they traditionally follow a version of Mahayana Buddhism that is mixed with Confucianism and Taoism. It is called the Triple religion on regular basis.

Since Macau was previously governed under Portuguese administration before it was granted a special administrative region status, the Portuguese have established Roman Catholicism as one of the main religions in Macau. Protestant Christianity is also practiced in Macau, though it is small in proportion to the Catholics. Due to the centuries of Portuguese influence, the Catholic Church has become a prominent part of the different charity events and social work drives organized in Macau. However, it is expected that the Roman Catholic religion will decline, if not already has been declining, because of the booming gambling business having a direct effect on the population in Macau.

It has been deemed very important for all the religious groups to live in peace and harmony with one another and not cause any distress, or hamper the religious activities of other religious groups. Occasionally, the ceremonies and dedications that are held in public include prayers led by members of both the Christian and Buddhist faith.

There is also another prominent religion practiced in Macau, known as the Bahá’í Faith. It established a teaching center for 250 students in 1988. It consisted of a kindergarten, a primary school, and secondary school. Islam is also practiced by a few people in Macau, though there are considered a minority. There are around 400 Muslims in Macau, and until now only one mosque has been built here.