Among the themes remembered are the moment Pope Francis prayed alone in St. Peter’s Square and the first collective canonization.
Vatican City (14/03/2022 15:10, Gaudium Press) The Vatican City Philatelic and Numismatic Office is launching two new commemorative stamp collections.
Statio Orbis
The first one recalls the historic moment at the beginning of the pandemic, experienced two years ago in the Vatican, exactly on March 27, 2020, when, Pope Francis appeared alone in St. Peter’s Square to pray the Statio Orbis, entrusting to Our Lady’s protection the world hit by the pandemic.
“Like the disciples of the Gospel we were surprised by an unexpected and furious storm. We realized that we were in the same boat, all fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and necessary, all called to row together, all needing to console one another,” the card says, recalling the Pontiff’s words on the occasion.
First collective canonization
The second philatelic issue presents another memorable event in the history of the Catholic Church: the canonization of five Blessed: Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Philip Neri, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Francis Xavier and Saint Isidore. This was the first collective canonization of the Church.
In addition to the stamp, an aerogram and a special postage stamp were also published recalling the date March 12, 1622, when Pope Gregory XV canonized five new saints in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Four Giants of the Faith
The least known, Saint Isidore, a farmer from Madrid dedicated to charity and prayer, was actually the only one who would be proclaimed a saint that day, however, as in January 1622 the process of canonization of the other four blessed was almost completed, the then Congregation of Rites decided to give life to a “multiple” event, the first in history.
And so, together with Saint Isidore, four monumental figures were raised to the altars: Carmelite Teresa of Avila, the founder of the oratory Philip Neri, the founder of the Society of Jesus Ignatius of Loyola, and the Jesuit Francis Xavier. (EPC)
Compiled by Teresa Joseph
