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 40th Anniversary of Vatican-USA Diplomatic Relations Scott 1866 (2024) The stamp shown above is one of the last stamps issued by Vatican City that has been available for purchase by foreign collectors through the CFN. Released on September 16, 2024, it was part of the third quarter of 2024 release of Vatican City stamps. Getting guidance and planning for new Vatican City stamps has been an extremely disappointing and frustrating experience over the last four months. Since the CFN website was taken off-line in October for “site maintenance”, Vatican collectors have been left in the dark regarding the purchasing of stamps for both the fourth quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. It is usually around this time of the year (late January-early February) when the first tranche of Vatican City stamps for the year is released. Anyone unable to visit the Vatican in person is pretty much out of luck when it comes to getting the latest stamps and first day covers, obtaining covers with special cancellations, and getting any information regarding what is in store for Vatican Philately. Prior to the shutdown of the CFN, on September 7, 2024, the Vatican Postal and Philatelic Service did provide a glimpse into the stamps to be produced in 2025. During an event at the Italian Philatelic Press Union meeting in Bologna, Federico Sgarbossa (identified as the “person in charge of the Vatican Postal and Philately Service”), announced that the 2025 Vatican City stamp program would be “marked by issues dedicated to people who have made hope the guiding thread of their life experience”. The theme of ‘hope’ ties into that of the Jubilee Year of 2025, “Pilgrims of Hope”. At the event, Signore Sgarbossa listed the subjects of four stamps, identified as “witnesses of hope”: Italian servant of God Chiara Corbella (1984-2012), Spanish mystic Mother Speranza di Gesù (1893-1983), French writer Charles Peguy (1873-1914), and Vietnamese cardinal Nguyễn Văn Thuận (1928-2002). However, in early 2025, “significant changes” to this list were announced, with the new subjects being French priest Charles de Foucauld (1858-1915), Italian magistrate Rosario Livatino (1952-1990), Carmelite nun Mariam Baouardy (who took the religious name of Maria di Gesù Crocifisso, or Sister Mary of Jesus Crucified) (1846-1878), and Native American Saint Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680). Additional stamp subjects announced included Blessed Carlo Acutis (who is due to be canonized this year), Saint Vicenta Maria, Saint Teresa of Lisieux (the subject for the 2025 Vatican City aerogram), the Congregation of the Mission, composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, the great Michelangelo Buonarroti (on the 550th anniversary of birth and the subject for the 2025 postal cards), and the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (held in 325 AD). In addition to these special topics, annual issues devoted to the Pontificate of Pope Francis and his trips in 2024 were confirmed, as well as stamps for the Holy Year. Regular topics, including stamps for Easter, Christmas and Europa/PostEurop (with the 2025 subject being “national archaeological discoveries”) are planned, as well as the fourth stage of the series for the “2021-2030 UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration”. An article released on the Vaccari philatelic news website on January 14, 2025, entitled “St. Peter’s Square. Updated Program” was appropriately subtitled “The list comes from the Vatican which, compared to what is known, has introduced several changes. Silence on the emissions already released and not yet available”. The article announced additional subjects for 2025, including the canonization of Piergiorgio Frassati, the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology (joint issue with Luxembourg), and the postal envelope for 2025 (as well as announcing the subject changes for the “Witnesses of Hope” issue). The Vaccari News article ended with the following statement: “So far for the next releases. As for the actual availability of the previous ones, a precise answer was not given. With obvious disappointment for all those who follow the sector, starting with collectors.”As we have repeatedly reported to the members of VPS, the Website Team has been monitoring things from the Vatican and will get the word out to our members as soon as we have information regarding the resumption of stamp sales through CFN. Stay tuned! REFERENCES: Two articles from Vaccari News (www.vaccarinews.it): |
