The Polish Post Office celebrated the pontificate of Pope Francis
To mark the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis's pontificate, Poczta Polska has introduced a new postage stamp. This stamp is a thank-you to the Holy Father for his spiritual leadership of the Catholic Church worldwide.
Exactly ten years ago, on March 13, 2013, on the second day of the conclave, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Metropolitan Archbishop of Buenos Aires and Primate of Argentina, was elected the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church, taking the name Francis. In doing so, the Holy Father highlighted the role model he saw in the attitude of St. Francis of Assisi.
For ten years of his pontificate, Pope Francis, through his pilgrimages, meetings, speeches, homilies and published documents, has consistently pursued the path of fraternity and dialogue, changing the face of the Church step by step.
During his decade of rule in the Church, the Holy Father produced many important theological works, including the ecological encyclical "Laudato Si'," the "Declaration on Human Fraternity," written in collaboration with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, and the related encyclical on interreligious dialogue, "Fratelli Tutti."
The Holy Father through the lens of Grzegorz Gałązka
Grzegorz Gałązka, the photographer behind the stamp's graphic design, is one of the most renowned papal photographers, holding permanent accreditation at the Vatican . In the image, he captured the profile of a smiling Pope Francis, raising his hand in greeting during last year's Stations of the Cross in Rome. The image chosen for the stamp, depicting the Holy Father in a white cassock against the backdrop of a red armchair, alludes to the Polish national colors of white and red.
Symbolism of Pope Francis' coat of arms
In addition to the stamp, Poczta Polska also issued a First Day Cover (FDC) featuring the coat of arms of Pope Francis. The background of the dark blue shield features symbols of the papal dignity. At the top of the shield is the emblem of the Society of Jesus—the order from which the Pope hails. At the bottom is a star symbolizing the Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ and the Church. Next to the star is a spikenard flower, a branch of which is iconographically depicted as an attribute of St. Joseph, patron saint of the universal Church. Above the coat of arms is the papal tiara with three horizontal gold bands symbolizing governance, adjudication, and teaching. Below the shield is the motto "Miserando atque eligendo," referring to the biblical account of the calling of Levi the tax collector. In accordance with heraldic principles, behind the shield are the Peter's keys, symbolizing apostolic succession and the full authority of the Bishop of Rome. The FDC envelope also features a date stamp with the papal coat of arms, name and date of issue: "10th anniversary of the pontificate of Pope Francis".
Historic issues of Poczta Polska with the image of Pope Francis
The first stamp featuring Pope Francis was introduced into circulation in 2016. It was released in several editions, depicting Pope Francis greeting a group of young people.
The 2016 stamps are a joint issue by Poland and the Vatican to commemorate World Youth Day in Krakow, where the Holy Father honored everyone with his presence. A philatelic rarity, a black print, was also issued alongside the stamps.
In 2016, Poczta Polska also issued a postcard with a printed postage stamp dedicated to Pope Francis's short visit to Jasna Góra, to our Black Madonna, for whom he has a special love. He went there on his way back to Rome from World Youth Day.
About the stamp:
Author of the stamp design: Poczta Polska
Number of stamps: 1
Value: PLN 4.00
Circulation: 128,000 pcs.
Printing technique: offset
Stamp format: 51mm x 31.25 mm
Paper: fluorescent
Date of introduction into circulation: March 13, 2023