Answer: The hand of Cardinal Agostino Casaroli
To mark the 40th anniversary of the 1984 Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Argentina and Chile, the Vatican issued a commemorative stamp and special postmark on November 25, 2024. The treaty, signed in Vatican City after years of escalating tensions over the Beagle Channel, was the result of a successful mediation effort led by Pope John Paul II and his envoy, Cardinal Antonio Samore. The Holy See's intervention, requested by the Episcopal Conferences of both nations, helped avert war and established a framework for peaceful cooperation rooted in international law and mutual respect.
The 2.45 stamp issued for the occasion features the Foreign Ministers of Argentina and Chile, along with Church representatives, in the presence of Pope John Paul II, who received them in audience the day after the treaty was signed. The accompanying circular postmark, 38 mm in diameter, includes a stylized depiction of the ministers handshake, symbolically overshadowed by the hand of Cardinal Agostino Casaroli representing the Vatican's guiding role in the peace process. The postmark also bears the inscriptions 40th ANNIVERSARIO DELLA FIRMA DEL TRATTATO DI PACE E AMICIZIA TRA ARGENTINA E CILE, POSTE VATICANE, and DIE EMISSIONIS 25.11.2024. This philatelic issue not only honors a pivotal moment in Latin American diplomacy but also highlights the Vatican's enduring commitment to peacebuilding through dialogue and faith.
|
