Issues by the Postal and Philately Service of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Governorate
Stamp and special die emissionis postmark for the first anniversary of the election of Pope Leo XIV
On the first anniversary of the election of Leo XIV to the Chair of Peter — on May 8, the day of the Supplication to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Holy Rosary of Pompeii — the Postal and Philately Service of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Governorate of Vatican City State has issued a stamp and a special die emissionis postmark.
The stamp, with a face value of €1.35, features a portrait of the Holy Father by the artist Raul Berzosa. In the background appears Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, whose gaze is directed toward the Pope as a sign of maternal protection.
The issue is intended as a tribute to the first year of the Holy Father’s Pontificate.
The special postmark depicts Pope Leo XIV in prayer. The inscriptions “Papa Leone XIV - I Anniversario dell’elezione”, “Die emissionis 08.05.2026”, and “Poste Vaticane” complete the postmark.
Stamp sheetlet and special die emissionis postmark for the 40th Anniversary of the Encyclical Dominum et Vivificantem
A commemorative stamp sheetlet has been issued for the 40th Anniversary of the Encyclical Dominum et Vivificantem, promulgated by Saint John Paul II on May 18, 1986.
The sheetlet, bearing a €2.55 stamp, reproduces Guido Reni’s fresco depicting Pentecost (Vatican Museums, Sala delle Dame). Graphic and chromatic elements help convey a sense of movement and spiritual energy, in harmony with the message of the Encyclical.
The special postmark reproduces a detail from Guido Reni’s Pentecost (Vatican Museums). The inscriptions “40° dell’Enciclica Dominum et Vivificantem”, “Die emissionis 08.05.2026”, and “Poste Vaticane” complete the postmark.
Stamp and special die emissionis postmark for Europa 2026: 70th Anniversary of Europa Stamp
A stamp belonging to the “Europa” series has also been issued, dedicated in 2026 to the 70th Anniversary of Europa Stamp, an initiative that for decades has represented an important instrument of cooperation among European postal administrations.
The theme chosen for this edition celebrates a shared seventy-year journey during which collaboration among European postal services has helped foster the development of communications, dialogue among peoples, and the spread of common values.
The stamp illustration, with a face value of €1.35, is intended to represent the progress and evolution that have characterized seven decades of cooperation among the various European postal organizations.
The special postmark features an essential and symbolic graphic composition: a dotted line inspired by the typical perforation of a postage stamp. It reproduces representative elements of the anniversary enclosed within a perforated frame recalling the shape of a stamp. The inscriptions “70° anniversario di Europa Stamp, “Die emissionis 08.05.2026,” and “Poste Vaticane” complete the postmark.
Stamp and special die emissionis postmark for the third centenary of the birth of Saint Gerard Majella
A commemorative stamp and a special postmark have been dedicated to the third centenary of the birth of Saint Gerard Majella (1726–1755).
Saint Gerard was born on April 6, 1726, in Muro Lucano, then part of the Kingdom of Naples. In 1749 he entered the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists), founded by Saint Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori. His religious life was marked by a profound spirit of obedience, charity, and penance. He died at only twenty-nine years of age, on October 16, 1755, in the Redemptorist convent of Materdomini in Caposele (Avellino).
The stamp, with a face value of €1.30, reproduces a portrait of Saint Gerard Majella by the Roman painter Giovanni Battista Gagliardi (1838–1924), renowned for his predominantly religious paintings.
The special postmark depicts the Saint in ecstasy together with symbols recalling his austere life and his total dedication to Christ. The inscriptions “III Centenario della nascita di San Gerardo Maiella”, “Die emissionis 08.05.2026”, and “Poste Vaticane” complete the postmark.
Special postal cancellation for the 104th German Catholics' Day
On the occasion of the 104th German Catholics' Day, a special postal cancellation was issued featuring the central part of the “St. Patrick’s Cross.” The cancellation is completed by the inscriptions “Deutscher Katholikentag Würzburg,” “13–17.05.2026,” and “Poste Vaticane.”
Cancellation of philatelic material, duly franked by applicants with the stamps to which the postmark refers, may be requested from the Cancellations Department of the Postal and Philately Service until June 30, 2026.
