Jubilee or Holy Year Stamps

By The Rev. Joseph Neiman

Christmas and Easter provide rich opportunities for topical collectors in the general category of religion, but there are some specialized subtopics that add a real challenge. One of these is drawing to a conclusion at this time, or at least for the next twenty-five years. The topic: Jubilee or the Holy Year -- in Latin "Anno Santo,".

The concept of Jubilee is both political and religious. It comes from the Book of Leviticus in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), and one verse in particular is familiar to many Americans and stamp collectors. It is inscribed on the Liberty Bell stamp (Scott 1595 & 1618) of the Americana series: "proclaim liberty throughout all the land" (Leviticus 25:10).

The Jubilee year, as described in Leviticus, was held every 50 years. During that time, fields lay fallow, persons were returned to their ancestral homes, debts were canceled, and slaves were set free. The concept: the social and economic life must reflect God's sovereignty. Whether or not it was actually practiced or how widely, or whether it was a moral norm to guide actions, is a subject of debate among Biblical scholars.

These concepts, however, have influenced political and religious action in 2000 and 2001. A worldwide coalition of religious, environmental, economic and other organizations and people have been working in this millennial time seeking a reduction of the enormous debt in underdeveloped countries. One need only check the Internet for information on their goals and activities, which are continuing throughout 2001 (www.jubilee2000usa.org).

On the religious side, the Episcopal Church in the United States, for example, is celebrating a Jubilee year until the feast of Pentecost, June 3rd. But it is in the Roman Catholic observance of the Jubilee or Holy Year (Anno Santo) that the topical collector will find the most significant philatelic material. Jubilaeum A.D. 2000, as it was called, came to a close on January 6, 2001 with the closing of the Holy Door at St. Peter's Basilica.

Pope Clement VI called 
the second Holy Year in 1350

(Vatican Stamp and 
Maxi-card)

The Roman Catholic Holy Year tradition began in 1300 under Pope Boniface VIII. At first it was to be observed every 100 years; later every 33 years (after the life of Christ) and finally every 25 years. The Jubilee 2000 was the 26th Holy Year and the first to celebrate a new Millennium.

The Vatican postal authority (UFN) began preparing for Jubilee 2000 November 20, 1995 with the issuance of stamps (Scott 996-999) about the life of Christ taken from illuminated manuscripts in the Vatican Apostolic Library. A second set with different illustrations was issued October 12, 1996 (Scott 1015-1018); a third, September 15, 1997 (Scott 1052-1055); a fourth, May 19, 1998 (Scott 1081-1084); and the fifth and final series of this philatelic program, May 25, 1999 (Scott ). All these were printed by Helio Courvoisier S.A. in Switzerland and marked not only with the face values but also with the phrase: "Verso L'Anno Santo Del 2000" (Towards the Holy Year of 2000).

A second series of stamps and covers began March 24, 1998 portraying each of the popes who in the course of history celebrated the Jubilee Years, beginning with Boniface VIII in 1300 right up to Pope John Paul II in 2000. The first of this series, designed by Irio Ottavio Fantini and printed by Brundesdruckerei GmbH in Germany, was issued March 24, 1998 (Scott 1065-1072); the second, March 23, 1999 (Scott 1095-1102); and a third series in 2000 (Scott ).

Pope Leo XIII called the 
Holy Year of 1900

(Vatican stamp and 
Maxi-card)

 

Part of the challenge for a collector of Holy Year stamps and postal stationary, however, comes from finding items issued for earlier Jubilees. Italy published the first Holy Year stamps in 1925 depicting the four patriarchal basilicas, which pilgrims were invited to visit; and scenes of the pope, Pius XI, opening and closing the "Holy Door". A surtax was added to help finance hostels and other changes needed to accommodate pilgrims. The Italian colonies of Eritrea (Scott B5-B10) and Somalia (Scott B5-B10) published the same series with overprints.

As noted, the 1925 Italian semi-postal stamps picture the four patriarchal basilicas traditionally visited by pilgrims: St. Peter's Basilica, St. Maria Maggiore, St. John Lateran, and St. Paul's Outside the Walls. A 1925 postcard also portrays Pius XI and the four basilicas. These basilicas are found on many other philatelic materials related to the Holy Years.

Pope Pius XI also convened two extraordinary Jubilees in 1929 and 1933. The Vatican's Holy Year stamps began in 1933 with semi-postal (Scott B1-B4) marking the 1000th anniversary of the death of Jesus of Nazareth. These are marked Anno Santo 1933-1934 and depict a cross atop an orb surrounded by the words: "O crux ave spes vinca."

For the 1933 Holy Year, Italy issued commemorative stamps (Scott 310-314) and semi-postal air mail stamps (Scott CB1-CB2). The commemoratives show an angel coming forth from a tomb carrying a cross, and the dome of St. Peter's Basilica with a cross of glory in the background. The air mail stamps are horizontal and show the dome of St. Peter's on the left, a dove with an olive branch in a circle in the center, and the dome of what may be the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Both Hitler and Mussolini were in power and the Vatican was seeking to reach peaceful relations with each through concordats.

Of interest to collectors, the newspaper printed by the Vatican to report events of that Holy Year pictured the Graf Zeppelin flying over the Vatican in May 1933.

Pope Pius XII initiated the 1950 Holy Year, and there are many philatelic items to mark it. The Vatican issued stamps (Scott 132-139) portraying "Jesus Giving St. Peter the Keys to Heaven," "Boniface VIII Proclaiming the Holy Year of 1300," the four basilicas, and Pope Pius XII in the act of opening the Holy Door in St. Peter's, traditionally done at Christmas prior to the Holy Year. Pilgrims pass through the Holy Door to be renewed by entering the "Kingdom of Heaven". The word, "basilica" in Latin means "kingdom or government house". By entering through the Holy Door, pilgrims were reminded that their final destiny is in the "Kingdom of Heaven" beyond death.

There are many postcards and covers from the 1950 Holy Year, including an interesting tri-fold showing Pius XII, the Vatican 1950 Anno Santo Stamps, and small portraits of each of the popes who called a Holy Year from Boniface VIII up to Pius XII.

Two common design stamps were issued for the 1950 Holy Year. The first common design (Scott CD41 & 42) consisted of two stamps, one depicting church bells and a dove, and the second, an angel holding a candelabra. These were issued by Angola (Scott 331-332), Cape Verde (Scott 268-269), Macao (Scott 339-340), Mozambique (Scott 330-331), Portuguese Guinea (Scott 273-274), Portuguese India (Scott 490-491 and 496-503), St. Thomas and Prince Islands (Scott353-354), and Timor (Scott 258-259). The second common design (Scott CD43) stamps were issued in 1951 by the same countries as an extension of the 1950 Holy Year.

Other countries issuing stamps for the 1950 Holy Year include Ireland (Scott 142-144), Italy (Scott 535-536), Trieste overprinted Italy (Scott 74-75), (Portugal (Scott 717-720), Saar (Scott 222-224), and Monaco (Scott 262-273). The Monaco stamps are particularly interesting as Pope Pius XII and St. Vincent de Paul are both printed on triangles. There are also abundant postcards and covers associated with the 1950 Holy Year.

Pope Paul VI proclaimed the Holy Year of 1975, and the Vatican issued a series of stamps (Scott 561-571) portraying scenes from the life of Christ, the four Basilicas, and the coat of arms of the pope. Italy (Scott 1175-1179), San Marino (Scott 860-864), Portugal (Scott 1250-1252), Germany (Scott 1162), Monaco (Scott 973), and Rwanda (Scott 644-651) issued stamps for this Holy Year also. More covers and postcards seem to be available for this Holy Year than for previous ones as well.

Pope John Paul II proclaimed a special Jubilee in 1983 to commemorate the 1950th anniversary of the death of Christ. The Vatican issues both stamps (Scott 721-724) and postal cards with colorful sketches by Giovanni Hajnal.

The Pope took a special interest in Jubilee 2000 hoping in his document, Tertio millennio adveniente, that the divisions of the second millennium might be closer to unity in the third millennium. He reached out toward that goal by the inclusion of ecumenical representatives in the opening and closing of the Holy Door in St. Paul's Basilica at the beginning of what is known as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Beside the Pope on January 18th were the Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion; and Metropolitan Athanasios, representing the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholemew I, leader of the Orthodox Christians of the East. The pope's pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and his numerous apologies for wrongs done by the Catholic Church to Jews and other Christians continue that theme. Desmond O'Grady (Rome Reshaped: Jubilees 1300-2000) quotes one of the Pope's more striking comments during his visit to the Czech Republic: "As Pope of the Church of Rome, in the name of all Catholics, I ask pardon for the wrongs done to non-Catholics."

Denise McCarty's columns in Linn's Stamp News, and the catalog section of Scott's Stamp Monthly, report there were a large number of countries that issued Holy Year stamps during the 2000 Millennium, including Albania, Chile, Croatia, Dominica, Grenada -- and more. They become the quest for a collector in 2001 as one seeks to bring this subtopic up to date. The philatelic pursuit of stamps and postal stationary related to this category can teach collectors much about religious iconography and even be inspiring.

[An edited version of this article was published in the November 2001 issue of Scott's Stamp Monthly, page 12-13]

 

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