IN HONOUR OF POPE FRANCIS VISITING HUNGARY, MAGYAR POSTA IS ISSUING A THEMATIC PERSONALISED STAMP

The purpose of Magyar Posta’s stamp issues is to convey values and to make these values accessible and available to all Hungarians. The Holy Father’s visit is a highly important event not only for Catholics but for all Hungarians, both within the country and beyond its borders, thus the Company decided to issue a thematic personalised stamp in honour of the visit.

28 April 2023

The Apostolic Nunciature to Hungary announced in a statement on 27 February 2023 that Pope Francis, accepting the invitation of the state and church authorities, would pay an apostolic visit to Hungary between 28 and 30 April 2023. The motto of the visit is “Christ is our future”. This motto also appears in the design of the sheet of six thematic personalised stamps.

The photograph of Pope Francis appears on the new issue with the permission of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

Due to the great interest in the stamp sheet with a label, 5,000 copies will be produced instead of the 3,000 originally planned. These will be available for purchase from 27 April 2023 at Filaposta in Hungary and from Magyar Posta’s online store while stocks last. In view of the limited number of copies, purchasing from the Webshop (https://eshop.posta.hu/storefront/belyeg/belyeg/cFT0101--cFT0002--p1.html) is recommended and, for purchases in person, Filaposta in Budapest (Budapest 5 post office, Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út 16, 1051).
Pope-themed stamps are very popular in Hungary and internationally. On the occasion of papal visits, Magyar Posta traditionally issues stamps to mark the special event.
Pope Francis visited Budapest for the first time on 12 September 2021, for the closing Mass of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress. To mark that event, Magyar Posta Zrt. issued a special souvenir sheet. In 2020, the Company celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of Pope John Paul II by issuing a special souvenir sheet. In 2014, Magyar Posta commemorated the canonisation of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II with a special souvenir sheet issue with two stamp designs, while, in 2005, a commemorative souvenir sheet of Pope John Paul II was released. In 1991, Magyar Posta also commemorated the visit to Hungary of Pope John Paul II by issuing a special stamp.
Those who would like to buy some of the earlier issues are invited to visit Filaposta in Budapest or browse Magyar Posta’s webshop. Filaposta: https://www.posta.hu/belyeg/belyeggyujtoknek/filaposta

Magyar Posta Zrt.