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The VPS Website Team has sent out a few Daily Emails over the last month in an attempt to keep our members up-to-date on the activities of the Vatican Post Office. At the end of last month, we sent out the announcement for the stamps released on February 27.
 
In reviewing press releases from the Vatican for 2024, the following listing of stamp topics for 2025 was discovered. Quoting Communicato 54/2024:
 
”Philatelic Program 2025: The Postal and Philatelic Service of Vatican City is pleased to present the collectors with the schedule of philatelic issues planned for the year 2025.
 
Issues related to the theme of the year: Jubilee 2025
 
<li>Pontificate of Pope Francis MMXXV 
<li>Holy Year MMXXV 
<li>Easter of Resurrection MMXXV 
<li>Witnesses of Hope: Blessed Rosario Livatino, Saint Charles de Foucauld, Saint Mary of Jesus Crucified, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha 
<li>Christmas MMXXV 
<li>Philatelic Envelope 2025 
Annual Issues
 
<li>The travels of Pope Francis around the world in the year 2024 
<li>Europe 2025: National archaeological discoveries 
<li>Decade for ecosystem restoration – Year IV 
Celebratory Issues or Anniversaries
 
<li>Canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis 
<li>Canonization of Blessed Piergiorgio Frassati 
<li>IV Centenary of the founding of the Congregation of the Mission 
<li>V Centenary of the birth of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 
<li>50th Anniversary of the canonization of Saint Vicenta María López y Vicuña 
<li>1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea 
<li>550th Anniversary of the birth of Michelangelo Buonarroti 
<li>Pope's trip to Belgium 
Joint Issues
 
<li>Centenary of the founding of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archeology – joint issue with Luxembourg 
Other Products
 
<li>Aerogram 2025: Centenary of the canonization of Teresa of Lisieux 
<li>Postcards 2025: 550th Anniversary of the birth of Michelangelo Buonarroti 
<li>Philatelic Volume (“Vatican 2025”)"
 
It should be noted that the release ended with the comment “the program is subject to change”.
 
It is also worth mentioning that many members have been dealing with the registration process with CFN. To say this has been a laborious and frustrating process would be an understatement. Members have reported to have “successfully” completed the registration process, only to received follow-up emails stating that their applications were “rejected” and that the process would need to be repeated. The process also requires the submission of a photo ID as well as one’s Social Security Number, which makes some people understandably skittish.
 
Finally, word from CFN regarding the opening of the website for stamp ordering is not encouraging. Based on communications with contacts at the Vatican Post Office, it may be "at least a couple of months before sales will start again". So there continues to be no clarity as to when the CFN website will be back online and prepared to accept orders, which now includes stamps released in late 2024 and in February 2025. It perhaps behooves members to search out other sources for their stamps (including dealers like Penny Black Stamp Company) to get some idea as to stamp availability. The frustration and disappointment continue.
 
REFERENCE 
<li>VaticanState.va, Communicato 54/2024, December 16, 2024, pp. 92-93, <a href='https://www.vaticanstate.va/images/pdf/servizio-obliterazioni/comunicati-2024.pdf'>Philatelic Program 2025</a> 
Note: Document is in Italian, and pages 92 and 93 are the last two pages of the document.

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