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<center>Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy</center>
 
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<img height='275' src='http://vaticanstamps.org/VPS/images/296/1214.jpg'> 
Third Centenary of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy 
Scott 1214 (2002)</center>
 
Last weekend, the Vatican Post Office released a stamp commemorating the 325th anniversary of the founding of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. This is the second time Vatican City has celebrated this event: the 300th anniversary was commemorated on the three-stamp set shown above, issued in 2002.
 
On Monday, Pope Leo XIV paid a visit to the Academy to celebrate the anniversary. While there, Pope Leo signed a posterboard with an oversized reproduction of the new commemorative stamp and special postmark released by the Vatican Post Office for the anniversary. This was the second occasion (that we are aware of) where Pope Leo has signed an enlarged replica of a first day of issue cover (the first being last June for the stamp honoring Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina). A photo from this week's event can be seen by clicking on this link:
 
<button><a href='https://www.vaticanstate.va/en/news/4095-during-the-visit-to-the-pontifical-ecclesiastical-academy-on-the-occasion-of-the-325th-anniversary-of-its-foundation.html'>Pope Signs New Stamp</a></button>
 
In addition to the pope, the ceremony was attended by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin. Cardinal Parolin is a graduate of the Academy and coincidentally celebrated the 46th anniversary of his ordination that day (he was ordained on April 27, 1980). Here is a link to an interview with Cardinal Parolin addressing the Academy:
 
<button><a href='https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2026-04/cardinal-parolin-pont-ecclesial-academy-anniversary.html'>Cardinal Parolin on the Academy</a></button></center>

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