COVER N. 545 - SRI LANKA

Postmark: Headquarters P. O. Colombo Mail 10.09.24

Posted on the 9th October; Received on the 14th October 2024

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 'Tis the Season to be Jolly, and as I said before a propos my friend Fraser's Xmas letter, there are still good will people who skip the email apps to send their wishes for the Season replacing them with the traditional card card on a letter with Xmas stamps.

Ravindra is one such kind case. Bohomȧ  sthoothi, Ravi!

I have to confess I was a bit intrigued. I knew that Christianism in its several forms is not one of the most professed religions in Sri Lanka. In fact, it seems it ranks 4th, after Buddhism (70), Hinduism (13%) and  Islamism (10%), being the cult of approximately 8% of the population.

So in times like the ones we live in, when religions seem so many times to be more a dividing and conflicting factor than a common ground for understanding, it is nice to see a country with a Christian minority, issue a nice set of stamp celebrating Christmas, what can only be seen as a measure of tolerance and religious freedom, something I strongly believe in, even if being an agnostic.

The beautiful souvenir sheet with two stamps (110 and 50 Rupees) illustrated with Nativity scenes was issued by Sri Lanka Post on 30NOV2024.

Quoting direct from a page that is devoted to him "Vincent Subasinghe (1906 - 1985) was a Sri Lankan philanthropist, social worker, social entrepreneur and an active member of Sri Lankan renaissance movement during the British colonial times. He is considered to be the “father of the cooperative movement" in Sri Lanka". 

Honouring his memory, Sri Lanka Post issue on 24AUG2024 a 50 rupee stamp featuring his effigy and the Sri Lanka co-operative movement logo.

Postmark from the P.O. Headquarters, in Colombo, as usual.