St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church, built by the Jesuit missionaries, was then known as St. Joseph’s Building. After thirty years of development, the seminary buildings were gradually completed. The entrance to the seminary is located on San Francisco Street, with the main gate aligning with the church entrance. The church’s size is second only to St. Paul’s Church, hence the Chinese refer to it as ‘San Francisco’. Inside the church, there are antique and artistic confessionals, and on the right tower, there are two copper bells, one large and one small, with a history of nearly two hundred years, built by Italian founder Pietro Batista. To visit this historically valuable building, in addition to appreciating the extremely ornate Baroque architectural style of the church, one can also take a look at the humerus of St. Francis Xavier, who is known as the Apostle of the East. This sacred relic is considered an important artifact of the Eastern Catholic Church. After visiting St. Joseph’s Seminary and Church, one can stroll around the nearby area of Fok Lok U Street. Also known as ‘Red Door Street’, it is marked by the red doors and windows of the two-story buildings along the entire street, which is very distinctive. The Fok Lok U Street architectural complex is a well-preserved Chinese architectural group in Macau, one of the former prosperous commercial centers, witnessing the historical changes of Macau’s hundreds of years since its opening. It has now become a tourist spot with numerous souvenir shops, attracting many tourists. Opening hours are all year round, Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00.
Must-see tips and travel guide: The architectural design of the church is similar to the Jesuit Church of Rome, and it is also the only church in Macau with a dome. The history of the church is quite eventful. During more than 200 years of running schools, St. Joseph’s Seminary has cultivated many talents for churches in China and Southeast Asia, and is referred to by the older generation of Macau people as the ‘Shaolin Temple’ of Macau Catholicism.
