The Oldest Charity in Macao

The Holy House of Mercy is a charitable institution founded by the Catholic Church during the early days, with offices in Portugal, Brazil, Italy and Macao dedicated to providing relief to the impoverished, sick and the underprivileged. Since 1485, charity organizations dedicated to offering social services, like the Holy House of Mercy, had branched out within Portugal and in the Portuguese overseas colonies. The Holy House of Mercy of Macao was one of these undertakings.

In 1569, Bishop D. Belchior Carneiro created the Holy House of Mercy of Macao and set about managing it with alacrity. Throughout its long-winding history, the institution had been directly or indirectly involved in important changes, and these have not been limited solely to medical and social assistance for the grass-root people. It had delved in finance and banking, as in levying tax on unregulated economic activities, functioned as a bank through offering credits and loans and had contributed to the progress of the gaming industry.