Religion Topicals

Jean-Baptiste Henri-Dominique Lacordaire (1802-1861) was a French ecclesiastic, preacher, journalist and political activist who re-established the Dominican Order in post-Revolutionary France. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Father Lacordaire at the convent of Sainte-Sabine in Rome, designed and engraved by Claude Durrens after a portrait (1840) by French painter Théodore Chassériau (1819–1856), and issued by France on November 27, 1961 to commemorate the centenary of Lacordaire's death, Scott No. 988, Y&T No. 1287, plus an image of Chassériau's painting, Musée du Louvre.

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Here are images of two stamps depicting Monégasque Christian traditions, designed by Bernard Minne, and issued by Monaco on November 12, 1973, Scott Nos. 890 & 891.

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"Blessing the sea," engraved by Cécile Guillame.


"Good Friday" procession, engraved by Michel Monvoisin.

Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-543 or 547) is a Christian saint, honored by the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church as the patron saint of Europe and students. Benedict is perhaps best known for his influential "Rule of Saint Benedict," containing precepts for his monks. Here is an image of a stamp depicting St. Benedict writing in a book, within an illuminated manuscript's capital letter "S," designed and engraved by Jacques Combet, and issued by France on April 26, 1980 to commemorate the 1,500th anniversary of the saint's birth, and as a Europa stamp, Scott No. 1700.

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Famous gifts of the Magi, which is stored in one of the Athos monasteries, arrived in Moscow and exhibited for display at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. They left Greece for the first time in 500 years

Saint Maryann of Jesus de Paredes, O.F.S., (1618-1645) is a Roman Catholic saint and is the first person to be canonized from Ecuador. Saint Maryann was a hermit who is said to have sacrificed herself for the salvation of Quito. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Saint Maryann holding a lily, with a crucifix, a skull, and a whip or scourge for flagellation, apparently designed after an engraving (1732) by Spanish-Mexican artist Francisco Sylverio de Sotomayor (c.1699-1763), engraved and printed by Waterlow & Sons, Ltd., and issued by Ecuador on November 28, 1946 as one of four similar stamps in a set commemorating the 300th anniversary of the saint's death, Scott No. 471, plus an image of the original engraving by Francisco Sylverio. Note the several subtle changes in this stamp's design elements when compared to the original engraving.

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Rupert of Salzburg (660? –710) is a saint in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. St. Rupert was a bishop, a missionary, and a founder of the Austrian city of Salzburg. Here is an image of a semi-postal (charity) stamp depicting a statue of St. Rupert, designed by Austrian artist Sepp Jahn (1907-2003), engraved (appropriately enough) by Rupert Franke, and issued by Austria on August 6, 1948 as one of a set of eight stamps to aid in funding the reconstruction of Salzburg Cathedral, Scott No. B252, plus an image of a drawing of St. Rupert, who is often depicted holding a salt barrel, representing his promotion of the salt mines of Salzburg, from which the city derives its name.

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Here are images of the six stamps in a set depicting Jewish sites and relics, printed by combined engraved and photogravure, and issued by Czechoslovakia on May 22, 1967, Scott Nos. 1475-80.

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Three stamps designed and engraved by Jirí Antonín Švengsbír:

Detail from Torah curtain, 1593,


Prague Printer's emblem, 1530,


Mikulov jug, 1804.


Three stamps designed by Czech artist Karel Vodák (1923-2000):

Old and New Synagogue, Prague, engraved by Jan Mrácek.


Memorial for concentration camp victims, 1939-1945, engraved by Jan Mrácek.


Tombstone of David Gans (1541–1613), a Jewish mathematician, historian, astronomer and astrologer, engraved by Josef Hercík.

Here are images of the five semi-postal (charity) stamps in a religion topical set, designed by Hungarian artist Sándor Légrády (1906-1987), printed by photogravure, and issued by Hungary on October 2, 1939 for National Protestant Day and to benefit the International Protestant Cultural Fund, Scott Nos. B103-B107.

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Memorial tablets for Mátyás Biró, also known as Matthias Dévay (?-1547), a Protestant Reformer called the "Luther of Hungary," and for Péter Melius Juhász (1532-1572), a Hungarian botanist, writer, theologist, and bishop of the Calvinist Reformed Church in Transylvania.


Gáspár Károli (1529?-1591), a Hungarian Calvinist pastor who first translated the Bible into Hungarian.


Albert Szenci Molnár (1574-1634) a Hungarian Reformed pastor, linguist, philosopher, poet and ecclesiastical writer who translated the Psalms into Hungarian.


Gabriel Bethlen (de Iktár) (1580-1629), King of Hungary, a zealous Calvinist who strove to protect the rights of Protestants during the Habsburg Counter-Reformation.


Zsuzsánna Lorántfy (1600-1660), Princess of Transylvania, an important promoter of Calvinism in Hungary.

On this day in history: Martin Luther (1483-1546) married Katharina von Bora, against the celibacy rule decreed by the Roman Catholic Church for priests and nuns. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Luther, designed and engraved by Jean Pheulpin after a painting by German Renaissance artist Lucas Cranach the Elder (c. 1472-1553), and issued by France on February 12, 1983 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's birth, Scott No. 1859, Y&T No. 2256, plus an image of a portrait of Luther (1529) by Lucas Cranach which may have been the model for this stamp's design.

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Here is an image of a stamp depicting a statue of Buddha and stupas from the Temple of Borobudor, designed by Pierrette Lambert, engraved by Jean Pheulpin, and issued by France on February 24, 1979 to publicize the campaign to save the 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist Temple, which is located in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, Scott No. 1636, Y&T No. 2036.

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Here is an image of a stamp depicting Jesus Christ wearing a crown of thorns, and a devout couple, designed by French artist Pierrette Lambert (1928- ), engraved by Eugène Lacaque, and issued by Monaco on May 13, 1975 to publicize the Holy Year proclaimed by Pope Paul VI, Scott No. 973.

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Here are images of the three airmail stamps in a set depicting Buddhist mythical beings, designed by Laotian artist Ky Phung Chaleun, engraved by Jacky Larrivière, and issued by Laos on September 15, 1972, Scott Nos. C91-C93.

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Nakharath: Daughter of the Dragon King.


Nang Kinnali: Epitome of feminine beauty, grace and accomplishment, renowned for her dance, song and poetry.


Norasingh: An avatar of Vishnu who serves as a protector.

The Circolo San Pietro was initially founded in Rome in 1869 by a group of devout Roman Catholics seeking to defend the pope against anticlerical attacks. It has since evolved into a charitable organization, nicknamed "the Pope's soup kitchen." Here are images of the three stamps in a set designed by Polish artist Casimira Dabrowska (1890-1972), and issued by Vatican City on November 18, 1969 to commemorate the centenary of the Circolo San Pietro, Scott Nos. 476-78.

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Pope Pius IX (1792-1878), engraved by Alveo Quieti.


Emblem of Saint Peter's Circle, bearing the organization's motto "Prayer – Action – Sacrifice," engraved by Fabio Pagani.


Pope Paul VI (1897-1978), engraved by Vittorio Nicastro.

Here is an image of a stamp depicting an open Bible on a rock below the Eye of Providence, designed by Adalbert Pilch after the obverse of the Frankfurt Medal of the Reformation, 1717, engraved by Alfred Fischer, and issued by Austria on October 31, 1967 to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the Reformation, Scott No. 801, plus an image of the commemorative thaler. Note: The Latin inscription on the medal and the stamp may be roughly translated as "Lord! Preserve Our Guide the Gospel!"

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Happy Birthday to Pope Saint John XXIII (born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, 1881-1963), who reigned from October 28, 1958 until his death, and was canonized in 2014. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of the pontiff, printed by photogravure, and issued by Brazil on June 29, 1964 in memoriam, Scott No. 980, plus an image of a 1959 photo of Pope Saint John XXIII.

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