ITALY'S LATEST STAMP

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 119, 23 May 1925, Page 16

ITALY'S LATEST STAMP

TO COMMEMORATE' HOLY: YEAE.

■_jr- • -— -r— -. Itary^s latest "stamp issues present a striking contrast of ancient and modern. On the"*one harßi. we .'get an interesting addition, to the stamps of religious in-terest-in the series issued in connection with :|Holy k Year. To these will be addedj'shof tly ;a set commemorating the 6cventh.."ceritehary of the death of St. Francis,of Assisi., , The modern element is represented "in \\ the issue of ordinary postage;stamps of double tbe usual size, on wnich half the .space is devoted to .trade^dvertisements. ....•■.

Religion is so., intimate a factor in }> umari. life that it would be surprising if it Had not left many an. impress in stajnp'.Jtiesigns, writes Fred J. M,clvillc in th.e.;"Daily Telegraph." The stomps of thg;'Orient arc full of symbolism of tiiG religions of Asia. The western cotuitiiesu- have ./.numerous stamp symbols and aspects of Christianity jdrpfhe-sbunp "designs of Enrope and America. Among these the cross in its ■varied ,forms .is familiar on-innumerable stal&ps, " Its occurrence as a watermark on-the pretty Soudanese stamps of'lß9B caused trouble-with the- Moslem sheiks. Biblical scenes figure on the lOs^stamp of Malta, whereon is depicted the-ship wreck of St. Paul on the island called Melita., and on the Italian ".De Propaganda Fide" stamps of 1923, wbjeh show Christ with his disciples. The.'.Virgin Mary appears oh stamps of the;. Virgin Islands', and the Archangel Gabriel on Portuguese? stamps of the Vasco ide Gama issue -(1898).-: A' few years ago someone compiled, a list of "angels on stamps." St. Anthony of Padua has been celebrated in a quaint series of Portuguese stamps, ' showing the-'-Infant Christ appearing to him in a vision, the Saint preaching to the fish - es,:,and other scenes. ; On the gummed side-of ;the: St.' Anthony stamps is printed,.'? benediction of St. Bonaventura. A promised Spanish issue in celebration of ■bt.';.: Theresa has' not ye| materia.lised, but:;the lady's portrait figures in .minia"■ture'on one of the Italian stamps of 1923 already referred to. St. Domeni,co^;St. Francesco Saverio, St. Michael, and. St.: George,' 'are among the postage stamp saints. The planting of the Grossm bout-h .America is shown on a stamp of .Venezuela, and an open Bible figures ori «ne':of the* Dominican Republic issues. In .the Malm of practical religion Belgium has only recently discarded, after many years, thevdominical label, a little ■ perforated annexe to its stamps, which bore: the injunction in French and Flem3ahVi -R?., not deliver on Sunday." This could be'detached-'-by the sender if Sm^at called::lor,urgent delivery on

A,' favonrita series of early classic stamp issoes^those of the Roman States —are reb.es of the last days of the tern power of the Papacy. In use from 1852 until. 1370, they hore the devisa.of the, crossed'keys and tiara The Italian ,-ariny,entered Kome on 20th September I&7D, and the unity of Italy w^xompleted-TbePope's st 4p s weS abfeissac by the Kingdom of .Italy for •There are sis stamps in the set, the col-