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The Vatican Philatelic Society is pleased to welcome the following new members: We wish them many years of happiness and fulfillment as members of VPS.  First Anniversary of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV Vatican City, May 6, 2026 Last Monday was a pretty busy day for Pope Leo XIV. First off, it was the pontiff’s 71st birthday. The date also marked the 25th anniversary of then-Father Robert Prevost’s election as the Prior General of the Augustinian Order, a position he held for twelve years (two six-year terms) from 2001 to 2013.  Pope Sixtus IV Names Bartolomeo Sacchi the First Librarian Scott 582 (1975) The pope attended the opening of an exhibition at the Vatican Apostolic Library that will continue over the next five years, entitled “Catastrophe and Wonder”. The first installment, “AQVA” (“Water”), was unveiled at the event. On Monday, the pope also released a chirograph calling for an expansion of the library as a measure to house and conserve the “considerable increase over recent decades in the Holy See’s bibliographic holdings”. During his remarks at the library, Pope Leo remembered his mother who, coincidentally, was a librarian. For a look at the ceremony, click on this LINK to read an account from Aleteia.com. At a ceremony held a short distance from Saint Peter’s Square at the Sala San Pio X, the pope’s alma mater, Villanova University, awarded the inaugural “Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal” to Canadian Cardinal Michael Czerny. Born in Czechoslovakia in 1946, he is a member of the Jesuit Order and, over the years, has worked to promote social justice in Canada, Latin America, Africa, and Italy. The intent of the medal is to “recognize individuals from any field or discipline whose leadership reflects a holistic approach to…care for the environment, social justice, protection of vulnerable communities, and responsible economic stewardship.” Although the pope was not present at the ceremony, the event was attended by the President of Villanova University, Father Peter Donahue, O.S.A., and Father Joseph Farrell, O.S.A., the current Prior General of the Augustinian Order. |
