Travel of Pope Francis
Romania - 2019

Pope Francis visited Romania from 31 May to 2 June. 2019. Roman Catholics in Romania follow the Byzantine Rite and Comprise approximately 4.35% of the population (ca. 870,000). The majority of Catholics live in Transylvania, the greater portion of which are ethnic Hungarians with some Czechs and Slovaks due to the fluctuation of historical boundaries in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Romanian Orthodox Church is the largest Christian church in Romania, claiming on paper ca. 86% of the population. St. John Paul II visited Romania in 1999. The papal visit's theme was "Let's Walk Together." The itinerary included courtesy visits to the president and prime minister and other authorities, Francis met with the Orthodox Patriarch of Romania and the Permanent Synod, later celebrating the Divine Liturgy and beatification of seven Greek-Catholic martyr bishops. He celebrated Mass in various locations, met with young people and representatives of the Roma community. A joint issue with Romania, the Vatican issued a miniature sheet which contains a single €2,40 stamp. The blue, yellow and red in the design reflect the Romanian national colors as displayed on its flag. Along with Pope Francis, the miniature sheet includes images of the journey logo for the visit and churches in four locations visited by the pope: Bucharest (St. Joseph's Cathedral is the seat of the leading Archbishop in Romania). Blaj, Lasi, and the Marian Shrine at Somuleu Cluc. Reference: Itinerary for Pope Francis' Visit to Romania Technical Details: Scott Catalogue - 1720 - 1720 Date Issued - 31 May 2019 Face Value - €2,40 Perforations - N/A Printing Process - Offset Printer - Printex (Malta) Max Printed - 60,000 Joint Issue - Romania

(Source - Vatican Notes: Volume: 67 Issue: 381 Page: 4-7)