Religion Topicals

Here are images of the four stamps in a set depicting various martyred saints, designed and combined engraved by Austrian artist Wolfgang Seidel (1946- ) and photogravure, and issued by Austria on September 1, 2003, Scott Nos. 1269-72.

- nethryk

Saint Blaise (d. 318), physician and bishop, patron saint of wool combers.


Saint George of Lydda (d. 303), Roman soldier, legendary dragon slayer, many patronages.


Saint Erasmus of Formia (d. 303), patron saint of sailors and abdominal pain.


Saint Vitus (d. c. 303), patron saint of epileptics, actors and comedians.

Here is an image of an airmail stamp commemorating the canonization (in 1954) of Saint Peter Chanel (aka Père Chanel, born Pierre Louis Marie Chanel, 1803-1841), a Roman Catholic priest, missionary, and martyr who was clubbed to death by a warrior serving the king of Futuna, designed and engraved by French artist Jean Pheulpin (1907-1991), and issued for use in Wallis and Futuna Islands on November 21, 1955, Scott No. C12, plus an image of a stained glass window depicting Saint Peter Chanel in the Catholic Church of Lapaha, Tonga.

- nethryk

The Life of Christ on Postage Stamps
1947
George A Rowse.
Pages 60-72 First 2 pages only.

Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of the Venerable Louis of Granada, OP (1504-1588), a Dominican friar who was a noted theologian, writer and preacher, printed by photogravure, and issued by Spain on December 31, 1988 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the friar's death, Scott No. 2590, plus an image of a drawing (1599) of Louis of Granada by Spanish painter Francisco Pacheco del Río (1564-1644) which was probably the model for this stamp's design.

- nethryk

Frescoes from the Medieval Boyana Church.
Set of 9 stamps + Souvenir sheet, Bulgaria 1973.

Michel #2267-75 / Yvert #2023-31
Michel #Block 44 / Yvert #BF42

Here is an image of a stamp depicting stone-sculptured tikis inside a place of worship called a marae on the South Pacific island of Nuku Hiva, designed and engraved by French artist Pierre Forget (1923-2005) after original artwork by French brother ornithologists and naturalists Jules (1807-1873) and Édouard Verreaux (1810-1868), and issued for use in French Polynesia on August 1, 1988 to publicize the SYDPEX '88 Bicentennial National Stamp Exhibition, Scott No. 489.

- nethryk

Paschal Baylón OFM (1540-1592) was a Spanish Roman Catholic lay professed religious of the Order of Friars Minor noted for his strict austerities, as well as his love for and compassion towards the sick, who was canonized in 1690. Here is an image of a stamp commemorating the declaration of Saint Paschal Baylón as the patron saint of the International Eucharistic Congress, printed by photogravure, and issued by Spain on September 24, 1997, Scott No. 2909, plus an image of a painting of Saint Paschal Baylón praying.

- nethryk

This 1993 commemorative of Brazil celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of Brazilian academic painter Pedro Americo. Americo studied under Ingres and lived in Rio de Janeiro and Florence, Italy at different times of his life. This painting is titled King David and Abisag (1878). It represents these two Old Testament figures from what is presented in the First Book of Kings.

From gotquestions.org, "Abishag, who was a very beautiful virgin 1 Kings 1:40, was brought to live at the palace. There she saw to King David's needs and warmed him with her body at night. the Bible states that there was no sexual relationship between the two of them, it was a matter of a caregiver attending her charge 1 Kings 1:4, although it was assumed that Abishag would become a de facto member of David's harem - a concubine, or secondary wife."

Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Blessed Hildegard Burjan (1883-1933), a German Roman Catholic convert from Judaism and the founder of the Sisterhood of Caritas Socialis, designed by Adalbert Pilch (1917-2004), engraved by Rudolf Toth (1918-2009), and issued by Austria on January 1, 1983 to commemorate Burjan's birth centenary, Scott No. 1232, plus an image of a photograph of Hildegard Burjan.

- nethryk

This 1991 stamp (Sc#568) of French Polynesia depicts a traditional sculpture of South Pacific Islanders. It is called Te Hina O Motu Haka, Creation of the Marquesas Islands.

Here are images of the two airmail stamps in a set depicting Christian religious engravings by German artist Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), respectively, "Head of Christ;" and "Resurrection," engraved by French artist Eugène Lacaque (1914-2005), and issued by Mali on March 28, 1978 for Easter, Scott Nos. C329 & C330.

- nethryk

Here are images of the three semi-postal (charity) stamps in a set featuring portraits of prominent Protestants, respectively: Philips of Marnix, Lord of Saint-Aldegonde (1540-1598), a Flemish and Dutch writer and statesman; Idelette Stordeur de Bure Calvin (1500-1549), wife of the French theologian and reformer John Calvin (1509-1564); and Jacob Jordaens (1593-1678), a Flemish painter, draughtsman and tapestry designer, designed by Fa. Malvaux, engraved by Jean De Vos, and issued by Belgium on May 30, 1964 to honor Protestantism, Scott Nos. B754-B756, Michel Nos. 1347-49. Note: The surtax was for the erection of a Protestant church.

- nethryk

Here is an image of a stamp depicting Saint Severinus of Noricum (c. 410-482), known as the "Apostle to Noricum," who evangelized and founded several monasteries, designed by Friedrich Mayr (1929- ), combined engraved by Kurt Leitgeb and photogravure, and issued by Austria on April 23, 1982 to publicize the "End of the Roman Era Exhibition," Scott No. 1205, plus an image of a detail from the altar painting (c. 1470) of Saint Severinus, now in the Museo di Capodimonte, Naples, which was the model for this stamp's design.

- nethryk

Here is an image of a stamp depicting Saint Hubertus (c. 656-727), patron saint of hunters, and his vision of a stag with a crucifix standing between its antlers, designed by P. Toth, engraved by French artist Pierre Albuisson (1952- ), and issued by Monaco on May 8, 1995 to publicize the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC), Scott No. 1949. Bonus: Archery (crossbow).

- nethryk

Here is an image of a stamp depicting a statue of Saint Norbert of Xanten (c. 1075-1134), a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church, founder of the Premonstratensian order of canons regular, and patron saint of childbirth whose attributes are a monstrance and a cross with two beams, combined engraved by Jean De Vos and photogravure, and issued by Belgium on January 14, 1985 to commemorate the 850th anniversary of the saint's death, Scott No. 1184, plus an image of a Baroque statue of Saint Norbert at the high altar in the church of St. Ulrich in Ulrichsberg, Austria.

- nethryk