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As we enter the week of Christmas 2024, the start of the Jubilee Year of 2025 takes place this Tuesday evening, Christmas Eve, with the opening of the Holy Door at Saint Peter’s Basilica. We wanted to take this opportunity to look back at the stamps issued by Vatican City to commemorate the Holy Years since the inception of the Vatican City State. Since 1929, eight Holy Years have taken place: four that would be considered “regularly scheduled” and four “extraordinary” or “special” Holy Years or Jubilee Years. Here is a list of the Holy Years over the last 90-plus years: For the next two days, the Daily Emails will look at the philatelic items tied to Holy Years. Each day will provide a look back at four of the Holy Years. Today will focus on the Holy Years of 1933, 1950, 1966 and 1975. 
 Holy Year 1933 Semi-Postals, Scott B1-B4 Special Holy Year of 1933. Pope Pius XI promulgated the Holy Year of 1933 to celebrate the 1900th anniversary of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The four stamps issued by Vatican City for the Holy Year constitute the first semi-postal stamp set issued by the city-state. The surcharge collected from the sale of the stamps was earmarked to offset the expenses surrounding the Holy Year celebration. 
 Holy Year 1950 Scott 136-139 (1949) Holy Year of 1950. Pope Pius XII presided over the Holy Year of 1950. This celebration was covered in yesterday’s Daily Email, reviewing the stamps issued for the Holy Year on December 20, 1949. Four of the eight Holy Year 1950 stamps are presented above, with the last two showing images of the popes for the first Holy Year (Pope Boniface VIII in 1300) and the then-latest Holy Year (Pope Pius XII in 1950). 
 
 Conclusion of Vatican II Scott 439-444 (1966) Special Holy Year of 1966. The Special Holy Year of 1966 commemorated the closing of the 21st Ecumenical Council, commonly known as Vatican II. Convened by Pope John XXIII and concluded under the auspices of Pope Paul VI, the six stamps shown above provide images from Vatican II, which ran from 1963 to 1966. The stamps are not specifically tied to the Holy Year. 
 
 
 Holy Year 1975 Scott 561-571 (1974) Holy Year of 1975. Pope Paul VI convened the Holy Year of 1975. The two main themes for this Holy Year were renewal and reconciliation. The eleven stamps in the set issued for this celebration feature images Jesus Christ, Saint Peter, Saint Paul, and Pope Paul VI. The images of historic art depicted on the stamps are taken from the four Major Basilicas of Rome: Saint Peter's (10 L and 25 L), Saint John Lateran (30 L and 40 L), Saint Mary Major (50 L, 55 L and 90 L), and Saint Paul Outside the Walls (100 L and 130 L). Tomorrow’s Daily Email will look at the Holy Years 1983, 2000, 2016 and 2025. REFERENCES: |
