Religion Topicals

The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon. The epic is also important in Jainism and Buddhism. Here are images of a colorful set of airmail stamps depicting characters from a dramatic performance of the Theravada Buddhist version of the Ramayana, designed by Marc Lequay (1910-2001), a French painter who lived in Laos from 1936 to 1975, engraved by Jean Pheulpin, and issued by Laos on October 28, 1955, Scott Nos. C14-19, SG Nos. 43-48.

Ravana


Hanuman, the white monkey


Ninh Laphath, the black monkey


Sita and Rama


Lucy with a friend of Ravana


Rama

rod222,

here a Christmas stamp for you. It is form Peter Paul Rubens painted in 1612. The explanation is in German...maybe you want to google it....

I hope I did not offend anybody....

Absolutely not fifia,
sometimes we miss posts, and they slip by
we would have found it eventually :)

Thanks very much for your contribution !
let's hope we see more around SCF

nethryk, those stamps of Laos are stunning! Beautifully designed, drawn and engraved. An incredible series.

Here's a little label, I don't know it's origins, but since Christmas is almost upon us, I thought I'd share it.

jamesw - Thanks!

Here is an image of a stamp depicting the upper portion of another 8th century treasure in the Todai-ji Buddhist temple, Nara: Gakko Bosatsu (Moonlight, or in Sanskrit, Candraprabha Bodhisattva), a painted clay statue, 204.8 cm (about 6'9") tall, engraved and photogravure, issued by Japan on February 1, 1968, Scott No. 945.

- nethryk

"Diwali's recognition by the US Postal Department… will also honour a civilisation that has the merit of being a continuous propagation for 6,000 years, and Diwali is celebrated not just by Hindus but also Sikhs and even Christians. It's like Christmas."




The USPS, officially launched the Eid Stamp (an event was held in Chicago, Illinois during the 38th Annual ISNA convention) to the public on September 1, 2001. The postal service had received thousands of letters requesting the Eid stamp. Several Muslim groups and individuals have been seeking an Eid ul-Fitr or Ramadan stamp since the early 90s.





In 1996 the Postal Service issued its first Hanukkah stamp, with artwork by Hannah Smotrich. Israel loved the stamp design so much that Israeli postal officials decided to reproduce it themselves — a surprise joint issue.





After receiving letters from both the public and the creator of Kwanzaa, Dr. Maulana Karenga, the Postal Service issued its first Kwanzaa stamp in 1997. Creating the artwork was artist Synthia St. James, whose book The Gifts of Kwanzaa was also released in 1997. New Kwanzaa stamps were issued in 2004 and then again in October 2009.





The Slovakian Post has issued a new stamp celebrating Christmas 2011.
The custom of giving gifts at Christmas is documented in a Protestant environment from the 16th century. Other Christmas traditions and symbols include a Christmas play, making of Christmas cribs, and an Advent wreath and decorated Christmas tree. Lit candles on the Christmas tree symbolize the light that came into the world to put the darkness out. The arrival of the Savior is traditionally celebrated as a rich feast, which ends the period of fasting. According to the advice given by the housewives from the 19th century "one should eat meat that is legless, for Christ's birth it should be meat of the two-legged animals and on St. Stephen's Day meat of the four-legged animals. It should be fish, bird, domestic or wild animal. One meat should be fried, the second should be baked and the third should be cooked or stewed."





Philatelie Liechtenstein has come up with a novelty for this year's traditional Christmas stamp.


It is really not that hard to get life on one page....

Two more Holy Childhood seals:

Vatican Mini sheet featuring interesting Newspaper articles.

Here is an image of an airmail stamp depicting a Buddhist monk and a pair of reverential villagers, designed by Marc Leguay, engraved by Roger Fenneteaux, and issued by Laos on July 1, 1960 as one of a set of four stamps promoting tourism, Scott No. C38, SG No. 108.

- nethryk

Here is the rest of the quote regarding Liechtenstein's "novelty" for the year:




Really? Collectors are demanding self adhesives?

Color me skeptical.

I hate these self adhesive stamps.

Holy Childhood Batman!
So what are these Rod. Are they from a specific church or denomination? Enlighten me.

Sorry James, I know nothing about them,
first sighting for me.
We need an italian speaking SCF member to translate the frame
message as a first indication.
I am not aware of any Italians aboard SCF.

The Laos Buddhist Monk:
Worth noting across the border in Cambodia
during the Khmer Rouge period, only 1,000 monks
survived from 60,000 buddhist monks, in that terrible period.
Source: "Pawns of war" Boston Publishing Co 1987




It would have to be Roman Catholic Church.

The Kudara Kannon is a statue of Kannon (Guanyin, Goddess of Mercy), the bodhisattva associated with compassion as venerated by East Asian Buddhists, usually as a female. This statue is made of gilded camphor wood and it is 210 cm (about 6'11") in height, and it shoulders a halo. The statue is unique in Japanese art, and is regarded as one of the most important works of ancient Japan. A text from 1698 describes the statue as being rediscovered, but its origin is still unknown. The statue is housed in a specially created room in the recently constructed treasure hall of the Horyu-ji (Flourishing Law) Buddhist temple in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture. Here is an image of an engraved stamp depicting the Kudara Kannon, issued by Japan on November 1, 1967, Scott No. 935.

- nethryk

French Cinderella :

Education free of religion.