Religion Topicals

Might as well follow that up with one of Polands favourite sons, Pope Paul II. This souvenir sheet commemorates his visit to Poland in 2001. Engraved by the master himself, Czeslaw Slania

Adalbert of Prague (c. 956-997) was the Czech Bishop of Prague and a missionary who evangelized Poles and Hungarians, and was martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians. Saint Adalbert is a Roman Catholic saint, and is the patron saint of Bohemia, Poland, Hungary and Prussia. Here are images of two stamps depicting Saint Adalbert among the heathen, and proselytizing, designed by Polish artist Andrzej Heidrich (1928- ), engraved by Czeslaw Slania, and issued by Poland on April 19, 1997 to commemorate the millennium of Saint Adalbert's death, Scott Nos. 3335 & 3336.

- nethryk

For Christmas Day: Fra Filippo Lippi (1406-1469) was a painter who did most of his work in and close to Florence, Italy. In many of his paintings of Mary and the infant Jesus, Mary looks almost melancholy. The original can be seen in the National Gallery in Washington, DC.

Scott USA 2023:

Hi, Stampfan, your St. Francis reminded me of one I have but which is not yet on the thread. Pope John Paul named Francis to be the patron saint of environmental protection in 1979. The original mural by Giotto in the cathedral of Assissi was obviously used as a model, but it's fun to see some birds that aren't in the original, for example the chicken. The stamp was issued for the 87th Conference of Catholics in 1982, also Francis' 900th birthday year. (Design: Steiner)

Hi, Kris. Your stamp of Francis ministering to the birds is terrific.

Today is Three King's Day, the 6th of January, when the Magi arrived in Bethlehem to greet the new King Jesus. The Adoration of the Magi can be seen in many paintings of the old masters, this one (1504) by Albrecht Dürer, who himself did several. King Melchior is kneeling, Balthasar stands behind him and is looking toward Caspar on his left. The painting can be seen in the Uffici Gallery in Florence, Italy.




(Thanks Stampfan, glad you like Francis. K.)

After the visit of the three Kings or Magi, the young family was warned that it was no longer safe to stay in Bethlehem. Mary, Joseph and the Child Jesus fled to Egypt. Half of today's over 50 million refugees are children.

Here are images of the three stamps in a set depicting religious buildings in Malagasy, designed and engraved by French artist and engraver Jacques Derrey (1907-1975), and issued by Malagasy on February 20, 1967, Scott Nos. 396-98.

- nethryk

Adventist Temple of Tanambao, Tamatave


Andohalo Roman Catholic Cathedral, Antananarivo


Grand Mosque, Tamatave

I guess if you are big on this topic you can join the Coros Stamp Society

Happy Birthday to Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), an Italian Dominican friar and Roman Catholic priest who was an influential philosopher and theologian. Here is an image of a stamp depicting the scholarly saint, designed and engraved by Eugène Lacaque, and issued by Andorra (French Administration) on December 4, 1982, Scott No. 303, plus an image of a 15th century altarpiece in Ascoli Piceno, Italy, depicting Saint Thomas Aquinas, created by Italian Renaissance painter Carlo Crivelli (1430? -1495).

- nethryk

Today the Jewish people are celebrating Purim, a holiday commemorating the deliverance of the Jews in the ancient Persian Empire, as recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther. Here are images of the two stamps in a set honoring Prague's Jewish community, designed by Czech artist James Janicek, combined engraved by Miloš Ondrácek and photogravure, and issued by Czech Republic on April 30, 1997, Scott Nos. 3009 & 3010.

The subjects of these stamps are:

The Old New Synagogue in Josefov, Prague, Europe's oldest active synagogue, and the oldest surviving medieval synagogue of twin-nave design. Completed in 1270 in Gothic style, it was one of Prague's first Gothic buildings.

Tombstone of Judah Loew ben Bezalel (c. 1520-1609), widely known to scholars of Judaism as "The MaHaRaL," an important Talmudic scholar, Jewish mystic, and philosopher.

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to John of God, O.H. (1495-1550), a Portuguese-born soldier turned health-care worker in Spain, whose followers later formed the Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God, a worldwide Catholic religious institute dedicated to the care of the poor sick and those suffering from mental disorder. Here is an image of a stamp depicting a marble statue of Saint John of God, designed and combined engraved by Pietro Nicolò Arghittu and lithography, and issued by Vatican City on October 3, 1995, Scott Nos. 994, plus an image of a painting entitled Saint John of God (1672) by Spanish Baroque artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo (1617-1682).

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Saint Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), a tertiary of the Dominican Order, a Scholastic philosopher and theologian, and one of the two patron saints of Italy (with Saint Francis of Assisi). Here are images of three stamps, printed by photogravure, and issued to commemorate Saint Catherine.

- nethryk

Saint Catherine praying, designed after a detail from a fresco (1526) by Italian Renaissance artist Il Sodoma (born Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, 1477-1549), and issued by Vatican City on June 12, 1962 as one of three similar stamps in a set commemorating the 500th anniversary of Catherine's canonization, Scott No. 336, plus an image of the relevant detail from Il Sodoma's original work of art.



Portrait of Saint Catherine, designed after a detail from a fresco by Italian artist Andrea Vanni (1332-c. 1414), and issued by Italy on June 26, 1962 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Catherine's canonization, Scott No. 853, plus an image of the relevant detail from the original work of art.


Reliquary bust of Saint Catherine, issued by Italy on April 29, 1980 to commemorate the 600th anniversary of the saint's death, Scott No. 1397.

Scott USA 2065 honoring the life of Martin Luther along with the front and back cover of a beautifully illustrated and printed Lutheran church tract featuring a Christmas Cantata by Bach. The brochure was printed in German and in Germany and published for American Lutherans by the Chicago based Wartburg Publishing House during the later part of the 19th century.