‘Non-Catholics’ sign withdrawn from Macau Cathedral

A sign reading “Non-Catholics please do not go forward” that was recently placed inside Macau’s Cathedral, located in the central district, has been withdrawn. Initially, the sign had been placed there to dissuade noisy tourists, but, as the Cathedral’s vicar told The Times, it was more particularly aimed at those who did not respect the church as a sacred place. The decision to withdraw the “Non-Catholics” sign was made by the Cathedral’s priest, the vicar explained, admitting that the message it conveyed was imprecise.
The Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady attracts a high number of tourists each day. As reported by the Times last month, two signs reading “no entry for tourists” can be plainly seen if one enters the Cathedral during hours of prayer. On Tuesday, Portuguese newspaper “Ponto Final” reported that another sign had been added: “Non-Catholics please do not go forward.”
Yesterday, as we went in, again during prayer, two “no tourist” signs were placed inside, while another one had been posted at the entrance, reading “religious activity au cours, no entry.” [sic] Vicar Domingos Soares explained that, although the Catholic Church remains an open institution and welcomes everyone, this particular Cathedral has been confronted with a number of challenges when it comes to welcoming a high number of tourists.
“Some tourists are not able to differentiate a sacred place from a non-sacred place. [The sign for tourists] sets out a space for them to see the church without interfering with churchgoers’ prayers. This type of sign is also placed in other churches,” he said.
Regarding the “non-Catholics” sign, he recognized that the message was wrongly conveyed: “The expression was not well used. We didn’t mean to exclude people; what we meant was to dissuade [from entering] those who did not respect the believers’ space when they are praying.”
He recalled that tourists’ curiosity to see the Cathedral has led to a few particularly distressing situations: for instance, tourists washing their hands in the holy water basin; or queuing to receive the holy communion, which cannot be provided to non-Catholics. “To avoid this type of incident, we decided to display these signs during masses or other religious activities,” he emphasized.
Vicar Domingos Soares explained that the “no tourists” sign is usually placed inside and is closer to the doors during prayer, and at the middle of the church for periods in which there is no religious ceremony.
During the day, two women are also engaged to help in guiding the tourists, occasionally telling them what they are able to do and what is not available to them. While masses or other religious activities are being held, a different sign is placed outside.
Nevertheless, he stated that the Cathedral’s staff will further discuss this matter, and will reconsider the nature of the signs. “We will discuss this because Pope Francis’s guidance tells us to be an open [institution].”
Architects who specialized in cultural heritage, as quoted by Ponto Final, recognized that the Cathedral’s method of conveying information through the signs was not ideal. Nevertheless, they conceded that such a high number of tourists might impact the peacefulness of places of worship.
Rui Leão and Vizeu Pinheiro emphasized the increasing difficulty of balancing the flow of tourists with the fundamental purposes of the church. “The fact that the church posted a sign shows that there is a problem; it is difficult to manage tourists in the city. But it’s a shame (…) since there isn’t an understanding between all those who use this place, [they] have to be cautious,” said Rui Leão.
The church’s staff indicated that the sign reading “non-Catholics please do not go forward” is unlikely to be placed there again. Vicar Domingos Soares added that the sign had only been briefly posted at the Cathedral.
He guaranteed that the Catholic Church is committed to continuing the pursuit of a path of openness.