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 "Stamps are miniature documents of human history. They are a means by which a country gives sensible expression to its hopes and its needs, its beliefs, and its ideals. They mirror the past and presage the future; they delineate cultural attainments, industrial works, domestic, civil, and social life. In a word, these vignettes give a vivid picture of the world, its occupants, and their multifarious endeavors."Francis Cardinal Spellman This quote was found in the preface of Emery Kelen's book Stamps Tell the Story of the Vatican, published in 1969. It certainly stirs a lot of thoughts for those of us who have spent years collecting stamps. We think back to our album pages and remember the thoughts we have had when mounting our stamps and the little piece of history or geography that we learned. Somehow the artwork found in our stamps makes it possible for us to travel the various time spans of history seeking that little piece of information that is probably not interesting to a lot of other people. I agree with the many things that Cardinal Spellman touches on in his quote. Stamps do reflect the national identities of a country. Collecting Vatican stamps does give us insights into the Popes, church history, and Catholic doctrine. However, I also think that Vatican stamps reflect some of the subtle interests of Vatican employees. One such example is an appreciation of the blue postal truck seen on the 2013 EUROPA stamp (I keep looking for it on every visit to the Vatican and have yet to see one):  Vatican 2013 EUROPA Stamp Notice blue postal truck  Reference • Emery Kelen, Preface, Stamps Tell the Story of the Vatican, Meredith Press, copyright 1969, page v |
