Religion Topicals

Happy Easter to all of our Christian friends!

Here are images of the three stamps in a set depicting 16th century frescoes in La Maison des Vallées, designed and engraved by Jacques Combet, and issued by Andorra (French Administration) on September 23, 1967, Scott Nos. 178-180.

- nethryk

Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane


The Kiss of Judas


The Descent from the Cross (the Pietà)

Here are images of the three engraved stamps (the third of which is airmail) depicting mythological beings in Theravada Buddhism, designed by Laotian artist Ky Phung Chaleun, and issued by Laos on February 5, 1971, Scott Nos. 207, 208 & C76.

- nethryk

Ganesh (called Nakhanet in Laos), the elephant-headed god of wisdom and learning, arts and culture, engraved by Jean Miermont.


Rahu, a powerful and malefic planet, swallowing the Moon, engraved by Claude Jumelet.


Hanuman, the monkey god, and Nang Matsa, goddess of fishes, engraved by Roger Fenneteaux.

alan - Thanks! Great posts from you, too.

Vicente Bernedo Albistur (1562-1619) was a Navarran brother of the Order of Preachers and a missionary apostle to Charcas, Alto Perú (Bolivia). Here is an image of a stamp depicting the venerable brother, with a view of Cerro de Potosí ("Rich Moountain") in the background, designed by A. Bel, printed by lithography, and issued by Bolivia in October, 1976, Scott No. 585, plus an image of a painted portrait of Fray Vicente Bernedo which may have been a model for this stamp's design, plus a photo of Cerro de Potosí. Note: I have no idea why Vicente Bernedo's birth year is mistakenly indicated as 1544 on this stamp!

- nethryk

George Leslie Mackay (1844-1901) was a Canadian and the first Presbyterian missionary to northern Formosa (Qing-era Taiwan). Starting in 1872 with an itinerant dentistry practice amongst the lowland aborigines, Dr. Mackay later established churches, schools and a hospital practicing Western biomedicine. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Dr. Mackay, printed by lithography, and issued by Republic of China (Taiwan) on June 1, 2001 to commemorate the centenary of the missionary's death, Scott No. 3365, plus an image of photograph of George Leslie Mackay. Nice beard! :)

- nethryk

Happy Birthday to Saint John Bosco (Italian: Giovanni Melchiorre Bosco, 1815-1888), popularly known as Don Bosco, an Italian Roman Catholic priest of the Latin Church, a writer and an educator who dedicated his life to the betterment of the lives of disadvantaged youth. Don Bosco's teaching methods, which were based on love rather than punishment, have evolved into what is now known as the Salesian Preventive System. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Don Bosco, designed by Italian artist Corrado Mezzana (1890-1952), printed by photogravure, and issued by Vatican City on June 22, 1936 to publicize the World Exposition of the Catholic Press, held in the Vatican, Scott No. 49, plus an image of a photograph of Saint John Bosco, the "Father and Teacher of Youth."

- nethryk

A Madonna and Child (Scott 47) from the 1920 Liechtenstein Jubilee issue: There is an interesting note in my catalogue that states virtually all of the Jubilee issue were sold at a discount from face value to a private syndicate which then resold the stamps for a substantial premium over face value.

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a bas-relief of a bishop, designed by Adalbert Pilch (1917-2004), engraved by Kurt Leitgeb, and issued by Austria on September 20, 1968 to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Graz-Seckau, Scott No. 817.

- nethryk

Here are images of two stamps depicting, respectively, a Roman Catholic nun and a child, and two nuns, printed by photogravure, and issued for use in Fernando Po(o) on July 6, 1963 in a set of three stamps benefiting children's welfare funds, Scott Nos. 205 & 206.

- nethryk

I just discovered this thread, and wanted to remark on Nethryk's 5 April posting. I've never purchased any Andorran stamps, but I must have that set; Jesus's facial expression on the second of the three stamps is beyond description.

PekingDuckDog - Good eye! I'm glad you liked that Andorra set, too.

Happy Birthday to The Servant of God Franz Stock (1904-1948), a German Roman Catholic priest known for ministering to prisoners in France during World War II, and to German prisoners of war in the years following. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Franz Stock, designed and engraved by French artist Marie-Noëlle Goffin, and issued by France on February 28, 1998 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his death, Scott No. 2632, Y&T No. 3138, plus an image of a photograph of Father Franz Stock which may have been the model for this stamp's design.

- nethryk

This stamp from the Dominican Republic relates to a story of the establishment of the minor Basilica Catedral Nuesta Senora de la Altagracia:

The Holy Family's Flight into Egypt, a semi-postal (charity) stamp designed by Argentine artist Ana María Moncalvo (1921-2009), printed by photogravure, and issued by Argentina on December 16, 1961 to benefit children's welfare funds, Scott No. B38, plus an image of another work by Ana María Moncalvo which I could not resist posting here, entilted "Memory of Supay" (1967). Note: In the Aymara and Inca mythologies, Supay was both the god of death and the ruler of the Ukhu Pacha, the Incan underworld, as well as a race of demons.

- nethryk