Marian Apparitions of Fatima
Centenary

The first centenary of the apparitions of the Blessed Mother at Fatima were marked by a single €2,55 stamp and an unfranked postcard, both stamp and postcard similar in design. A screened image of the basilica at Fatima appears on the reverse side of the post card. 150,000 stamps were issued in sheets of ten. 13,000 postcards were issued. Artist Stefano Moni depicts the Blessed Virgin, clothed in white and radiating light, with a gold-bordered veil as described by Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Francesco and Glacinta Marto, the young shepherds who witnessed the apparitions near the village of Aljustrel, near Fatima, Portugal. The two youngest children were canonized saints by Pope Francis on 13 May 2017. The visions of the Blessed Mother continued on the 13th of each month from May to October 1917 during which she revealed events that would occur in following years. On 13 October 1917 (the final apparition), the Miracle of the Sun occurred during which the Sun appeared to spin in the sky sending forth multicolored lights after a rainstorm. The Church recognized the supernatural nature of the apparitions, authorizing devotion which led to a construction of a shrine in Fatima. The site became one of the most visited shrines in Christendom, with six to eight million pilgrims annually. Technical Details: Scott Catalogue - 1652 & P211a&b Date Issued - 04 May 2017 Face Value - €2,55 Perforations - 13x13.25 Printing Process - Offset Printer - Cartor (France) Max Printed - 150,000

(Source - Vatican Notes: Volume: 65 Issue: 373 Page: 4-6)