Happy Easter 2013!

Today is a day for rejoicing and thanksgiving! Christ our Savior has triumphed over death by rising to prove that he is the Lord and the Son of God. He has redeemed our sins and made us whole again!

After hearing Mass at the Mabolo Church (St. Joseph Patriarch Parish), me and Jerald Kervin will spend the day at a nearby mall to celebrate this day of a new beginning and a new life.

The stamp I featured here was issued on March 21, 2011 by the Vatican Post to celebrate Easter 2011. With a € 0.75  denomination, the design highlights the central moment of the mission of salvation of our redeemer Jesus Christ. This design can be seen in a detail of a wall mural at the main entrance of the Sistine Chapel. 

The fresco is probably one of the least known of the Sistine Chapel and is a work by Flemish painter Hendrick van den Broeck. This is a copy based from an original work by Ghirlandaio which was destroyed in 1522 after the door frame collapsed. The painting is one of the masterpieces of the 1400s together with the frescoed walls and great paintings of Michelangelo.  

Happy Easter everyone!

H.H. Benedict XVI in New Postal Envelope

To coincide with the last day of Pope Benedict XVI as pontiff, the Philatelic and Numismatic Office of the Vatican City released an official envelope for 2013.

This 230 x 110mm envelope features a view of St. Peter's Square from a photo by Biagio Tamarazzo. A 2 euro stamp bearing the portrait of H.H. Benedict XVi by artist Mariangela Crisciotti is printed on the upper right of the postal stationary. A total of 20,000 pcs were printed by Tipografia Vaticana.

Pope Benedict XVI Resigns

 
The news that Pope Benedict XVI is resigning caught everyone by surprise including the Church. The 85-year old pope will leave the papacy on February 28 owing to his declining health and old age. A voluntary papal resignation is uncommon. Pope Celestine V abdicated the position in 1294 while Pope Gregory XII resigned in 1415 to end the western schism.

In a statement on February 11, the German pope said: "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.

"For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of bishop of Rome, successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a conclave to elect the new supreme pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is."

His successor will be elected possibly during the beginning of the holy week on 24 March.

Featured above are the Pope Benedict XVI stamps released in Germany and the Vatican.

I am glad that that I have a philatelic remembrance in the form of a postal envelope with a cachet bearing the pope's image. This envelopes were sent to me and Cebu Stamp Club by the Vatican Postal Administration in 2011 and 2012.

See my previous blog featuring Pope Benedict XVI. Jump here.. 

Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Travels on Stamps

Just recently my postman came to the house to hand in some materials from the Vatican Postal Service. The mail included the Apostolic Journeys of His Holiness Benedict XVI - 2010.

The beautiful stamps released on November 18, 2011 featured the different pastoral journeys of the Holy Father outside of Italy in 2010.

The first stamp shows the Pope in his April travel to Malta for the 195th anniversary of the shipwreck of Paul of Tarsus.

The following month, he went to Portugal for the 10th anniversary of the beatification of two of the three visionaries of Our Lady of Fatima. His itinerary included visits to the cities of Lisbon, Fatima, and Porto. On May 13, he celebrated the Mass to highlight the anniversary of the first apparition at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima where 500 thousand people came to attend.

The third stamp showcases His visit to Cyprus, the first Pope to come to this island where he met with the Archbishop of the Orthodox Church to renew and strengthen Catholic-Orthodox relations.

His fourth journey that took place in September features the stamp highlighting his trip to the United Kingdom where he met with the Archbishop of Canterbury. During his England travel, he beatified Cardinal John Henry Newman, an Anglican priest who became a Catholic.

The last stamp depicts the Pope's last journey for the year where he went to Spain and took a pilgrimage to the Shrine at Santiago de Compostela then to Barcelona where he consecrated the Sagrada Familia church thereby elevating it to a minor basilica.

The five stamps done by Giorgio Borghesani are valued at 0.60, 0.75, 1.40, 1.60 and 2.00. All the stamps are in Euro.

Vatican Announces Release of Stamp to Help Haiti

The Vatican is set to issue a stamp that will help the earthquake survivors in Haiti.

The Holy See's Philatelic and Numismatic Office announced that a stamp will be overprinted as a fundraiser that is expected to raise over $210,000.

The overprinted stamp commemorates the 1,500th anniversary of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Graces. Originally priced at 65 Euro cents, the stamps will be sold at 85 Euro cents.

Click here to read the full article.