Year of St. Joseph
8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021

Pope Francis announced the Year of Saint Joseph from 8 December 2020 to 8 December 2021. The motivation for this proclamation is the 150th anniversary of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. Pope Francis announced this commemoration in the Apostolic Letter, Parris Corde, "to increase our love for this great saint, to encourage us to implore his intercession and to imitate his virtues and his zeal." A philatelic miniature sheet reproduces the mosaic of St. Joseph, Patron of the Church, located in the Relics Chapel of St. Peter's Basilica. The mosaic was created in 1882 by F. L. Campanili, based on a design by painter F. Grandi. The mosaic depicts St. Joseph standing holding the Christ Child. St. Joseph is depicted holding Jesus in front of marble stylized columns with a golden arch, containing a Latin in-scription, "Tu Eris Super Domum Mann" ("You will be over my house") (Genesis 41:40). Aside from the depiction of the Holy Family on stamps commemorating the Nativity, this will be the first Vatican City stamp with St. Joseph as the specific subject. The miniature sheet contains a single €3,00 stamp. Technical Details: Scott Catalogue - 1764 - 1764 Date Issued - 22 February 2021 Face Value - €3,00 Perforations - 14x13.75 Printing Process - Offset, 4 colors plus gold foil (arch above St Jo Printer - Cartor (France) Max Printed - 45,000

(Source - Vatican Notes: Volume: 69 Issue: 388 Page: 4-6)