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What significant event is commemorated by the Vatican stamp issued on February 27, 2025, featuring the painting San Vincenzo Predicatore?

   The canonization of Saint Vincent de Paul
   The founding of the Congregation of the Mission
   The 500th anniversary of the Council of Trent
   The establishment of Vatican City as a sovereign state

Your answer was: The founding of the Congregation of the Mission.
You are correct!!


Answer:


To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the founding of the Congregation of the Mission, the Vatican Postal and Philatelic Service issued a special stamp on February 27, 2025. This €1.25 stamp features the evocative painting San Vincenzo Predicatore (Saint Vincent Preaching), attributed to the Baroque artist Aureliano Milani. The artwork captures Saint Vincent de Paul in the act of preaching, symbolizing his lifelong dedication to evangelization and service to the poor. The stamp honors the enduring legacy of the Congregation he founded in 1625, which has since become a cornerstone of Catholic missionary and charitable work around the world.

Saint Vincent de Paul (1581–1660) was a French Catholic priest whose name became synonymous with compassion and reform. In founding the Congregation of the Mission—also known as the Vincentians or Lazarists—he sought to bring the Gospel to the rural poor and to improve the education and spiritual formation of priests. His vision was both pastoral and practical, emphasizing humility, simplicity, and charity. Over the centuries, the Vincentians expanded globally, becoming a vital force in the Church’s outreach to the marginalized.

In addition to the stamp, a commemorative cover was released on March 27, 2025. This special envelope includes the stamp and bears a first day-of-issue postmark inscribed with: “IV centenario della fondazione della Congregazione della Missione.” The postmark serves as a philatelic tribute to the historical milestone and adds collectible value to the issue. The cover measures 16.5 by 9.5 cm and is identified by the code PV/139. It is available for €3.00.

For collectors seeking a more complete presentation, the Vatican also issued a limited-edition folder. This horizontal, two-panel folder (20 x 14 cm) contains the commemorative cover and is priced at €8.00. Both the cover and the folder are available through the Vatican’s Postal and Philatelic Service, offering a meaningful way to celebrate the spiritual and historical significance of Saint Vincent de Paul’s mission.