(ANS - Rome) - To celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco, the Italian Post and the Vatican Post Office will issue two stamps on 19 May celebrating the Saint of Youth. This is a joint issue between the two states.

The image on the stamps will be identical, as will the face value (80 euro cents), which is the cost of an ordinary letter in the two states and between them. They will be of different sizes however - the Italian version will be larger.

The stamps were made by the Philatelic and Numismatic Office in St Peter’s Square, and for Italy by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, which did the printing on adhesive paper in 800,000 sheets of 28 pieces each. The Vatican has decided on an issue of 250,000 sheets of six, together with a descriptive leaflet.

The image will be that of the logo for the Bicentenary. It includes a portrait of the face of Don Bosco, the number "200", and the Salesian Family and young people celebrating.

Coinciding with the issue, there will the usual products such as the first-day cancellation in Italy and in the Vatican, and a leaflet that describes the issue and probably also the folder that is being prepared for the occasion.

These are not the only philatelic events associated with the Bicentenary Year. In Italy alone we may remember, for example, the special cancellation stamp issued by the Italian Post Office on 31 January following the exhibition of images of Don Bosco in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto (Messina).

Published 08/05/2015