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The Vatican’s 2025 philatelic envelope is a powerful visual and spiritual tribute to the Holy Year, or Jubilee, a time traditionally marked by forgiveness, renewal, and pilgrimage. Issued on February 27, 2025, the envelope features an evocative illustration of Pope Francis standing before the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, poised to open it. This act—rich in symbolism—represents the Church’s invitation to all people to enter into a renewed relationship with God. The Holy Door, opened only during Jubilee years, is not just a physical threshold but a spiritual gateway, signifying mercy, reconciliation, and hope for a world in need of healing.
The envelope carries an imprinted value of €3.20 and was printed in a limited run of 9,500 copies by the Vatican Printing Office, using four-color offset on 80 g/m² paper. The design was created by artist Daniela Fusco, and the imprinted stamp features the official logo of the 2025 Jubilee. Complementing the envelope is a special circular postmark, 38 mm in diameter, which was used at the new Vatican post office in St. Peter’s Square on the day of issue. The postmark includes the inscriptions “BUSTA FILATELICA,” “DIE EMISSIONIS 27.02.2025,” and “POSTE VATICANE,” along with a stylized image of the Pope opening the Holy Door. This philatelic issue not only captures a moment of profound liturgical significance but also serves as a collectible emblem of Pope Francis’s vision for a Church that welcomes all with open arms.
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