(ANS - Turin) - On the occasion of the visit of Pope Francis to Turin (21-22 June), to venerate the Shroud and pay homage to Don Bosco, the Religious Philately Group has planned to honour the Pope and the Saint of Youth.

They have first of all organized a postmark commemorating the Pope's pastoral visit to Turin. To facilitate its use, the Philatelic Desk of the post office in Turin will be open on Sunday 21 June from 9.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. The postmark will be available at the same Philatelic Desk for the period required by the rules, while the commemorative postcard can also be acquired at the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians.

Still as a tribute to the Holy Father, the Religious Philately Group has produced a special set containing three volumes which bring together various articles published at different times in the magazine "Religious Philately Flash" and on the website of the group. The same tribute will be paid to the Rector Major of the Salesians, Fr Ángel Fernández Artime (for the Bicentenary of Don Bosco) and Archbishop Nosiglia of Turin (for the exposition of the Shroud).

The book "Chosen on the Periphery of the World" describes the two years of the pontificate of Pope Francis: his election, thoughts, travel, visits, messages, pastoral activity, etc.  It concludes with a chapter on Jesuit Saints.

The book "His Pilgrimage - a big Embrace" speaks of Don Bosco, the Salesian work, Salesian Saints and Blessed, and the pilgrimage of the relics of the saint. In the appendix there is a 2015 calendar totally dedicated to Don Bosco.

The third volume "A Good Land ..." presents the recent history of Turin, its cathedral, some churches, including the Shrine of the Consolata, the Saints renowned for their social commitment and in particular the Holy Shroud.

The three volumes contain chronicles, historical and religious texts, all related to philatelic products, stamps, postcards and postmarks, showing how even a small stamp can be a message of peace or tell the story of a life, a religious event or a travel diary.

The Religious Philately Group was founded in 1988, on the centenary of the death of Don Bosco, on the initiative of Fr Pietro Ceresa, SDB, a collector of Salesian stamps, following the success of a philatelic exhibition on religious themes that he organized in the crypt of the Shrine of Mary Help of Christians.    The group has promoted hundreds of exhibitions and commemorative postmarks over the years. On the death of the founder, in 1997, the group changed its name to “Religious Philately Group - Fr Pietro Ceresa".

Published 12/06/2015