The Postal and Philatelic Service of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Governorate of Vatican City State has issued a special postmark to mark the Apostolic Journey of Pope Leo XIV to France, which took place from September 25 to 28. Four commemorative stamps have also been issued, together with their respective special postmarks.
The postmark commemorating the Apostolic Journey features an adaptation of the official logo, bearing the Johannine motto “Pour que le monde ait la vie” (“So That the World May Have Life”). The postmark also includes the inscriptions: “Papa Leone XIV in Francia,” “Pour que le monde ait la vie,” “25–28.09.2026,” and “Poste Vaticane.”
A postage stamp and a special die emissionis (first-day-of-issue) postmark are dedicated to the first Encyclical written by Pope Leo XIV. The image depicts the moment when the Pope signed the Encyclical. The postmark also bears the inscriptions: “Magnifica Humanitas,” “Prima Enciclica di Papa Leone XIV,” “Die emissionis 28.09.2026,” and “Poste Vaticane.”
Another postage stamp and special die emissionis postmark commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Philippines. This year marks 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the Republic of the Philippines, formally inaugurated on April 8, 1951, during the pontificate of Pius XII and the presidency of Elpidio Quirino.
The Philippines holds a special place in the history of the Church, as it is the only predominantly Catholic country in Asia. The image, created by Patrizio Daniele, brings together several elements symbolizing the two States, including St. Peter’s Basilica and an open seashell containing a pearl, a reference to the designation “Pearl of the Orient Seas,” traditionally associated with the Philippine archipelago. The postmark also bears the inscriptions: “75° Relazioni diplomatiche Santa Sede – Filippine,” “Die emissionis 28.09.2026,” and “Poste Vaticane.”
A postage stamp and special die emissionis postmark are also dedicated to the fifth year of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, represents a global call to protect and restore degraded ecosystems throughout the world. The fifth year of the Decade falls in 2026, which the United Nations has designated the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, with the aim of raising public awareness of the essential role played by rangelands—which cover more than one-third of the Earth’s land surface—and pastoral communities in food security, biodiversity conservation, and the fight against climate change.
The €0.10 and €0.15 stamps reproduce details of pastoral scenes taken from the 15th century frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, while the €2.55 stamp depicts the biblical encounter between Jacob and Rachel, from Raphael’s Loggias. The postmark also bears the inscriptions: “Decennio per il ripristino dell’ecosistema,” “Die emissionis 28.09.2026,” and “Poste Vaticane.”
The September 28 issues conclude with a joint issue with Armenia, consisting of a postage stamp and special die emissionis postmark commemorating the 350th anniversary of the birth of Mekhitar of Sebaste.
Mekhitar, born Manuk Petrosean, was born on February 7, 1676, in Sebaste, in present-day Turkey. Raised in the faith of the Armenian Apostolic Church, he displayed from an early age a particular inclination toward the spiritual life and a fervent desire to contribute to the religious and cultural renewal of his people, who at the time were dispersed throughout the Ottoman Empire and Persia.
In 1715, as the Ottomans advanced, he found refuge in Venice, where the Republic of Venice granted him and his monks the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni. There, Mekhitar founded the renowned monastery, which became a flourishing center of scholarship, translation, and the dissemination of Armenian culture.
The €2.55 stamp features a portrait of the Servant of God, with the monastery of San Lazzaro degli Armeni in Venice in the background. The postmark also bears the inscriptions: “Mechitar di Sebaste – 350° della nascita,” “Die emissionis 28.09.2026,” and “Poste Vaticane.”
Requests for the cancellation of philatelic material, duly affixed with the stamps to which the respective postmarks refer, must be received by the Cancellation Section of the Postal and Philatelic Service no later than October 31, 2026.
