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 Roman Basilicas Issue of 1949 Scott 122-131, E11-E12 The Roman Basilicas set of stamps (Scott 122-131, E11-E12), was issued on 7 March 1949. This is one of Vatican City’s better-known and beautifully-engraved set of definitives. It features many of the great and minor pilgrimage basilicas of Rome. Corrado Mezzana designed the issue. Mezzana based the designs upon the 17th and 18th-century etchings by Luigi Rossini and Giovanni Battista Piranesi. Basilicas included are St. Agnes, St. Clement, St. Prassede, Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, St. Sebastian Outside the Walls, St. Lorenzo Outside the Walls, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and Santa Maria Maggiore. The espresso stamps featured St. Peter’s Basilica and the Basilica of St. John Lateran. In 1952, the stamp depicting Santa Croce in Gerusalemme was reissued and surcharged to accommodate a rate increase for post cards with five words or less, and for printed matter, mailed outside of Italy:  Roman Basilicas: Basilica of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (surcharged) Scott 154 (1952) One stamp in the set depicted Pope Pius XII, as was the custom for sets of definitive stamps. Article Links: |
