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Pope Francis announced a Holy Year of Mercy, beginning 8 December 2015 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception) and continuing until 20 November 2016 (Solemnity of Christ the King). To mark the Jubilee of Mercy, ten stamps (two stamps each on five different occasions from 19 November 2015 to 17 November 2016) were issued focusing on the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy. The first two commemorative Jubilee of Mercy stamps were issued on 19 November 2015. On 1 February 2016, two additional stamps, "feed the hungry" and "give drink to the thirsty", were issued and reviewed below. The Vatican issued two additional stamps on three later dates during 2016 to recognize the Jubilee. The €0,95 value depicts migrants newly arrived in a small boat which is careened on the shore, with a person distributing bread to the new arrivals, as others in the distance advance toward the scene. The €1,00 stamp depicts persons being given a drink of water. In the background are buildings representing Christian, Jewish, and Muslim places of worship. These two designs were created by artist Stefano Morri. These stamps obviously match concerns for contemporary religious, social, and political issues, associated with the Corporal Works of Mercy today. Vatican City issued stamps commemorating the Corporal Works of Mercy in 1960, a set of definitive stamps based on the terra cotta designs of Giovanni della Robbia from the Ospedale del Ceppo in Pistoria (Tuscany). View the reference below for an interesting article on Della Robbia and the 1960 stamps that appeared in the 2014 Vatican Notes: Volume: 62 Issue: 359 Page: 16-25. Reference: The Della Robbia Family - Art and Philately Technical Details: Scott Catalogue - 1615 - 1616 Date Issued - 01 February 2016 Face Value - €0,95, €1,00 Perforations - 13x13.25 Printing Process - Offset Printer - Cartor (France) Max Printed - 250,000 |
| (Source - Vatican Notes: Volume: 64 Issue: 368 Page: 4-6) |
