Diplomatic Relations Between the Holy Sea and Israel
25th Anniversary

The Holy See and Israel established formal diplomatic relations on 30 December 1993 during the pontificate of St. John Paul II. Diplomatic representatives were exchanged in 1994. Both nations signed a Fundamental Agreement in Jerusalem which, in addition to establishing formal relations, also underscored collaboration against anti-Semitism as well as all forms of religious racism and intolerance. John Paul II visited Jerusalem in 2000 during a series of Millennium pilgrimages, followed by Popes Benedict XVI in 2009 and Pope Francis in 2014. The design of the souvenir sheet is the archaeological excavation at the "House of Peter" or Church of St. Peter in Capernaum (For much of his adult life, the home of Jesus was in Capernaum, a small fishing village on the Sea of Galilee. It was here during the infancy of early Christianity that he began his ministry in the town synagogue, recruited his first disciples and became renowned for his power to heal the sick and infirm.) A single €1,15 round stamp is included on the souvenir sheet, along with the flags of the Holy See and Israel with inscriptions in both Hebrew and Italian. Technical Details: Scott Catalogue - 1725 - 1725 Date Issued - 10 September 2019 Face Value - €1,15 Perforations - N/A Printing Process - Offset Printer - Cartor (France) Max Printed - 60,000 Joint Issue - Israel

(Source - Vatican Notes: Volume: 67 Issue: 382 Page: 4-7)