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Today’s review of the stamps of the Europa stamp series looks at the Vatican City Europa stamps from the years 2003 through 2007. 
 Europa 2003: Poster Arts Vatican City, Scott 1239-1240 The theme for the 2003 Europa issue was “Poster Arts”. The two posters chosen for the Vatican City stamps represent important events in recent Vatican History. The 0.41-euro stamp shows the poster for Holy Year 1975, which was the Church’s twenty-fifth Jubilee. The 0.62-euro stamp shows a poster for the 1985 “Exhibition of Slav Codices, Inculabula and Rare Books”. The poster pictures two of the great missionary saints of the early church, Saints Cyril and Methodius. 
 Europa 2004: Holidays Vatican City, Scott 1267-1268 For the 2004 Europa stamps, the theme was “Holidays”, or as we refer to them in America, “Vacations”. The two stamps of the series present paintings of men on horses (0.45-euro stamp) and people in a garden (0.62-euro stamp), both scenes intended to represent people finding “new external and internal harmony that recharges our batteries and restores energy to our body and spirit”, as stated in the UFN release. 
 Europa 2005: Gastronomy Vatican City, Scott 1299-1300 The Europa theme for 2005 is “Gastronomy”, the study and appreciation of the role food plays in the art, culture, history, and tradition of all countries. The two Vatican City stamps depict paintings from the Vatican Museums showing fish on ceramic plates, painted by Pablo Picasso. 
 Europa 2006: Integration as Seen by Young People Vatican City, Scott 1320-1321 The 2006 Europa stamps focus on the critical task of integration. The UFN release states the “ability to deal effectively with the key issue of integration will determine the concrete hopes there are for creating societies marked by greater mutual respect and harmony.” The first Vatican City stamp shows two sets of praying hands pictured over a church, a mosque, and a synagogue. The second stamp is a painting of children in a classroom, working and learning together. 
 Europa 2007: 100 Years of Scouting Vatican City, Scott 1350-1351 For 2007, the Europa stamps celebrate the centenary of the founding of the scouting movement by Robert Baden-Powell in 1907. The two Vatican City stamps aim to portray the values instilled into young people involved in Scouting. The 0.60-euro stamp shows scouting activities which foster exploration, knowledge, and growth. The 0.65-euro stamp shows scouts around a campfire, where the spiritual side of development and the “observation of the wonders of creation” take root. REFERENCES: UFN, May 6, 2003, Europa 2003—The Posters UFN, June 3, 2004, Europa 2004, Le Vacanze UFN, June 2, 2005, Europa 2005, The Gastronomy UFN, March 16, 2006, Europa 2006, Integration UFN, June 12, 2007, Europa 2007, A Century of Scouting Vatican Philatelic Society Website, www.vaticanstamps.org, Stamp Database Search |
