Until the 1850’s, nearly all Jerusalem residents lived within the Old City walls. It was considered dangerous to stay outside the walls at night because marauding thieves prowled around the city and residents preferred feeling safe inside the walls, despite the crowding and poor sanitary conditions.

In the mid 1850’s a number of initiatives began to take shape, proposing that residents leave the Old City and build in the vacant areas surrounding its walls. One of these initiatives was led by Sir Moshe Montefiore, the Jewish British philanthropist.

During three earlier visits to Jerusalem, Montefiore witnessed the difficult housing situation and (read more)

published July 22nd, 2010

Italy Post is issuing a magnificent stamp on the 16th July 2010 named ‘Il Carvaggio’

David with the Head of Goliath is a painting by the Italian Baroque artist Caravaggio. It is housed in Rome. The painting, which was in the collection of Cardinal Scipione Borghese in 1613, has been dated as early as 1605 and as late as 1609–1610, with more recent scholars tending towards the latter.

The stamp is being sold at 0.60 euros only and fourmillion copies have been produced.

Its a really elegant and historical stamp which Italian collectors willno doubt enjoy adding to their collections

published July 14th, 2010

The cathedral of Segovia began to be built in 1525 following the design of Juan Gil de Hontañon during the reign of Charles V to replace an earlier cathedral which had been destroyed in 1520 during the War of the Comunidades. It is of a late gothic style and in its construction were also involved Gil de Hontañon’s son Rodrigo, who designed the transept and the head and Juan de Gruas who built the cloister.

The plan and construction of this magnificent temple has the traditional three naves and chapels located between the buttresses, which are closed with wrought iron bars of great beauty and artistic value. In the transept there is a big dome and at the head there is a retrochoir and seven polygonal chapels. Its external appearance is of remarkable beauty and monumentality enhanced by the pinnacles, flying buttresses and magnificent (read more)

published July 13th, 2010

A new miniature sheet will be issued by Aland Post on the 30th August 2010 featuring different church windows.  The design are quite elgant and attractive. Both a stamp and different miniature sheet will be released and are priced at 0.80 euro and 1.60 euros respectively  

published July 6th, 2010

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, known around the world as Mother Teresa, the Austrian Post Office is issuing a commemorative that in a way is to be seen as a sign of respect for this great woman.

Mother Teresa was born on 26 August 1910 in Üsküp in what was then the Ottoman Empire and is today Macedonia. She was brought up in a wealthy Catholic family to strict religious standards. As early as the age of 12, she decided that she would become a nun, and at the age of 18 asked to be admitted to the order of the Sisters of Loreto. First assigned to Ireland, she soon moved to India, where, in Calcutta, she took her first vow as a nun. She spent the following 17 years in St. Mary's School in Calcutta, first as a teacher and later as headmistress.

On one of her many journeys through Calcutta on 10 September 1946, she is alleged to have felt a divine calling to help the poor. She described this experience in her diary as a “mystic encounter with Jesus” who ordered her to “abandon everything and follow him into (read more)

published July 1st, 2010

Vatican have issued their Europa 2010 stamps under the theme children books by cleverly featuring images and text from the Bible narrated for children.  

“Let the children come to me” (Mark 10:14). This verse from Mark’s Gospel most appropriately describes the theme chosen for the annual postage stamp issue dedicated to Europe focusing this year on books for children. The images on the stamps are taken from the book, The Bible Narrated for Children, produced by Gribaudo publishers. Depicted are two significant events: Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and Jesus surrounded by children.

The representations throughout the book are works by artist Chiara Raineri. The illustrations accompany and complement the text with depictions of various scenes and personalities in the Old (read more)

published June 28th, 2010

People are being urged to back a campaign calling on the Royal Mint and Royal Mail to recognise the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer by issuing a special coin and stamp.

Although the anniversary is not until 2012, the Prayer Book Society (PBS) said it needed supporters to act now as choices for commemorative coins and stamps were made long before the actual event.

The charity, which campaigns for the continued use of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer’s famous 1662 prayer book, is asking people to help by contacting the Royal Mint and Royal Mail.

The Book of Common Prayer has been used in Anglican churches since the Reformation, and is still used regularly for services in cathedrals and churches throughout England despite more modern versions. (read more)

published June 24th, 2010

On 17 June, 2010, An Post issued two stamps to honour International Humanitarians, Henry Dunant, the founder of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and Mother Teresa, who ministered to the poor and afflicted in Calcutta, India.

Henry Dunant was born in Geneva, Switzerland in 1828. The Battle of Solferino, when France fought Austria in northern Italy, was the turning point of his life. Dunant was shocked to discover nearly 40,000 people, dead, dying and wounded, lying on the battlefield, with no-one taking care of them. Four years later, a committee including Dunant met in Geneva on 17 February, 1863, which became the starting point for the International Committee of the Red Cross. The following year, 12 States signed the first Geneva Convention, agreeing (read more)

published June 24th, 2010

Issue Date 22nd June 2010

“…On the forthcoming Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Friday 19 June 2009 – a day traditionally devoted to prayer for the sanctification of the clergy –, I have decided to inaugurate a ‘Year for Priests’ in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the dies natalis of John Mary Vianney, the Patron Saint of parish priests worldwide…” With these words on 16 June 2009, Benedict XVI officially marked the beginning of the year dedicated to priests.

Jean-Marie Vianney was born in 1786 in Dardilly, near Lyon, France. He came from a large, poor family, which (read more)

published June 18th, 2010

Issue Date 22nd June 2010

Michelangelo Merisi died early at the age of 38. His life was marked by illness and turmoil since he had to flee from one city to another. Despite these difficulties, he produced a wide range of paintings, which later became renowned masterpieces.

To mark the fourth centenary of his death, the Philatelic and Numismatic Office presents a series of postage stamps featuring what is considered one of Caravaggio’s greatest masterpieces, The Deposition, a work commissioned by Girolamo Vittrice for his family chapel. Previously on display in the Chiesa Nuova in Rome and now in the Pinacoteca of the Vatican Museums, this large painting (300 cm x 203 cm) portrays what happened right before (read more)

published June 17th, 2010

On the 6th June 2010,  more than 100,000 people attended an open-air mass in the Polish capital Warsaw to beatify Father Jerzy Popieluszko. The Roman Catholic priest was murdered by the Communist secret police for supporting political reform

Popieluszko’s grave remains in the yard of St. Stanislas Church, where he used to give riveting sermons. Since his burial in 1984, it has been visited by many world leaders.

Popieluszko, an outspoken priest, is remembered as one of the historic figures in this predominantly Catholic nation’s struggle against communism. His “Masses for the Homeland” during a time of harsh repression under martial law in the 1980s drew crowds as he preached the value of freedom.

On Oct. 19, 1984, three secret police officers kidnapped the (read more)

published June 15th, 2010