VATICAN CITY ~ Saint Peter's Square and Basilica - UNESCO

... Beautiful sunset view sent from once more a very special place🛐... and an important one during the Holy Season... Christmas is a central and sacred religious celebration for Catholics... rising above St. Peter’s Square, St. Peter’s Basilica is a must-see when you visit Rome... as one of the most famous works of Renaissance architecture and the largest church in the world, St. Peter’s is legendary... most visitors are immediately impressed with its scale, beauty, art, sacredness, and history.... me too,☺️ as I visited it a looooong time ago on a "educational" school trip... Vatican Postal service process millions of postcards every year... a letter or postcard from the world’s smallest nation with a Vatican postmark as a souvenir is a symbol of a separate state's identity and a coveted piece of postal history and art...  Heeeeel Erg Bedankt Ben, Loes, Leon en Anna! (✿◠‿◠)

Vatican City is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome. Vatican City is the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world by both area and population. The Pope is also the Head of State and Government of the Vatican City State.

Saint Peter’s Basilica is the largest enclosed church in the world, as it can hold up to 60,000 people and it is 22,000 square meters. The dome of the Basilica was recorded as the world’s largest Catholic dome.The Basilica is the work of great artists from the Roman Renaissance: L.B. Alberti, Bramante, Raffaello and Michelangelo.
 

Stamps:

Holy Christmas - Light of Peace from Bethlehem 

(Issued 10-11-2020)

EUROPA Stamps - National Archaeological Discoveries

(Issued 27-05-2025)

VATICAN CITY ~Pope Francis I~

Wonderful card sent from Vatican showing our newest Pope Pope Francis waving  to the crowds on his inauguration....He looks a very friendly man ^__^... Thanks so much Johan !!!


With nice stamp:
Religions  Apostolic journeys of His Holiness Benedict XVI
2009 - Praga (Issued 15-11-2010)

Francis born Jorge Mario Bergoglio 17 December 1936) is the 266th and current pope of the Catholic Church.Born in Buenos Aires as the son of Italian parents. He was ordained a priest in 1969. He became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, and a cardinal in 2001. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, on 13 March 2013 the papal conclave elected Bergoglio, who chose the papal name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first pope from the Americas, and the first from the Southern Hemisphere.


Vatican City  is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome.  Vatican City is the smallest internationally recognized independent state in the world by both area and population. The Pope is also the Head of State and Government of the Vatican City State.

ITALY ~Vatican city~

...A great multiview fom Vatican city a "hot" news item these days... the choosing of a new pope....

But the most special about this card is the stamp...Thanks so much Rita for this collector's item:
a "sede vacante" stamp... It is the seventh time that a stamp has been issued to mark the vacant see since the tradition began in 1939... Marking the first pope's resignation in 600 years makes it even more special!!...a little piece of this special moment in the history of the Catholic Church...


 With great stamp from a set of 4 showing an image of an angel raising the pavilion (umbraculum) over a pair of crossed keys,
the work of Italian artist Daniela Longo.
(Issued 01-03-2013)

1. Aerial view of Saint Angelo castle, Tevere and Saint Peter's cathedral.
2.Pope Benedict XVI.
3.Pieta of Michelangelo.
4.St. Peter's baldachin.

ITALY ~Rome-Vatican~

Wonderful card sent and postmarked in Vatican itself!!
This card brings back such lovely memories on a school holiday.... A looooong time ago (when I was much younger)... A ten days trip by bus to Italy! We visited all the most famous sites in Rome and Venetia with as highlight the Saint Peter's basilica in Vatican city!
So this is one of the few cards from which I can say: I'VE BEEN THERE!! :):)Thanks Rita!!

With great stamp celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Italian Unification issued on 21 March 2011
Vatican city is the world's smallest independent state, with a population of only close to 1000 or just a bit over it. This is the home of Roman Catholicism and it is also called as the Holy See since it is where the Pope lives. This is typically because it is in the middle part of Rome and the area is crammed with the most amazing and attractive old priories, churches and museums. Vatican City is made up of St Peter's Square, St Peter's Church, the Vatican Gardens and the Vatican.

ITALY ~Rome~

ITALY ~Rome~
Originally uploaded by gerda_dager

Sent by Gosia. St. Peter's Basilica is located within the Vatican city of Rome. Its known as the holiest site and the greatest of all churches of Christianity.