【慈幼通訊社
─
2015
年
5
月
8
日意大利羅馬訊】
─
為慶祝鮑思高誕生二百周年，意大利郵政及梵蒂岡郵政局，將於5月19日發行兩枚鮑思高誕生紀念郵票。這是雙方聯合推行的活動。
兩枚郵票圖案相同，面值同為80仙歐羅，為這兩個國家聯合範圍內普通信件的郵資。然而，兩枚郵票大小各異，意大利版本面積較大。
郵票分別由位於聖伯多祿廣場的梵蒂岡郵政及錢幣辦公室，以及意大利政府印刷局製作。意大利版本共製作80萬套，每套28張。梵蒂岡方面決定發行25萬套，每套六張，並附有簡介單張。
郵票圖案為二百周年標誌，包括鮑思高面部畫像、數字「200」，以及慈幼大家庭及青年慶祝的情景。
在發行郵票的同時，亦會推行慣常的的產品，包括在意大利及梵蒂岡推行的首日蓋銷郵戳，以及發行郵票簡介單張，亦會有為此機會而準備的文件夾。
這並非二百周年慶典中，唯一與郵政有關的活動。單以意大利為例，我們或會記起，當地曾於1月31日，在 Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto鮑思高畫像展覽後，舉行特別蓋銷郵戳服務。
Two Stamps for the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Don Bosco
(ANS - Italy –Roma, 08 May 2015) – 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).