My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Canada

The Flag

The National Flag of Canada was adopted on January 28, 1965, by proclamation of Queen Elizabeth II. On February 15 of that same year, the new National Flag of Canada was raised for the first time on Parliament Hill.

Every year, on February 15, the entire country celebrates National Flag of Canada Day to highlight this anniversary.

The National Flag of Canada is a red flag, twice as long as it is wide (proportion 2:1, or 64 units in length and 32 units in width or depth, as shown in the accompanying diagram). In its centre is a white square the width of the Flag, with a single stylized 11-point red maple leaf in the centre. The flag is horizontally symmetric.

The maple leaf is one of the most recognizable symbols of Canada, and has been used to represent Canadian identity since the 19th century. 

Red and white are colours that have historically been used by many nations, including those that contributed to the founding of Canada. Many Canadians have come to embrace these colours as representative of natural features prominent in some parts of our country: the white of winter snows, and the red of autumnal maple leaves.

Source: Official symbols of Canada - Canada.ca

The Coat of Arms

The Coat of Arms of Canada, called the Arms of Canada or the Royal Arms of Canada, were adopted by proclamation of King George V in 1921.

The Coat of Arms of Canada display the royal emblems of England, Scotland, Ireland, and France, while also featuring distinctly Canadian symbols.

The Royal Crown that sits atop the Coat of Arms indicates that these are the Arms of His Majesty the King in Right of Canada.

Canada’s motto is A Mari Usque Ad Mare, which translates to “From Sea to Sea”.

In 1994, a circular, red ribbon was added to the Arms, displaying the motto of the Order of Canada: Desiderantes Meliorem Patriam (meaning “They desire a better country”).

Source:  Official symbols of Canada - Canada.ca

The Stamps

The two "Permanent" stamps featuring flowers are the 2024 issue of the ongoing "Flowers" series. They depict :

- Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) - a species of milkweed native to eastern and southwestern North America. It is commonly known as butterfly weed because of the butterflies that are attracted to the plant by its color and its copious production of nectar. (source: wikipedia)

- Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata) - a herbaceous plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, that is native to eastern Canada, the eastern United States and northeastern Mexico. (source: wikipedia)

- The "Permanent" stamp illustrated with the portrait of  Chloe Cooley was issued on 30JAN2023, being that year's issue of the Black History Month series.

Chloe Cooley was a young black woman held as a slave in Fort Erie and Queenston, Upper Canada, in the late 18th-century, as the area was being settled by Loyalists from the United States. Her owner forced her into a boat to sell her in 1793 across the Niagara River in the United States.

This incident was observed by several witnesses, who petitioned the Executive Council of Upper Canada. Although charges were dropped against Cooley's owner, the incident is believed to have led to passage of the Act Against Slavery, 1793, in Upper Canada. It prevented slaves from being imported into the province and provided for gradual abolition of slavery within a generation among those held there. (source: wikipedia)

The Postmark

The stamps were cancelled at the main  Post Office of Quebec City with a pictorial cancel evoking the establishment in 1608 of the colonial outpost of Québec as the administrative seat for New France, the name having been  chosen by French explorer Samuel de Champlain.

I had the pleasure of requesting the use of the commemorative cancel in person, at Quebec's Post Office.

 
My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Russian Federation / Российская Федерация

The Flag

The existing three-color Russian national flag was adopted by the Order of President Boris Yeltsin of December 11, 1993, replacing it's Soviet-time red predecessor. According to the Constitution, "The national flag of the Russian Federation consists of three equal horizontal stripes - white, blue and red."

This is the third time this three-color flag becomes the national symbol. The first to use it was Peter the Great, who on January 20, 1705 ordered to hoist this flag as a trade one on all Russian ships on Moscow, Volga and Dvina rivers. In those times the lower red stripe symbolized the Earth, the blue stripe - the sky, and the upper white stripe meant the world of God. At the same time, according to the Russian tradition, white color meant nobility, blue - honesty, red - courage and love.

Source: The official state symbols

The State Seal

As a state symbol two-headed eagle first appeared in Russia, those times Moscovia, in the XV-th century. It came from Visantium with Sophia Paleolog, member of the last Visantium Emperor dynasty, who became the wife of Ivan III, the Great Duke of Moscow.

Two-headed eagle remained the symbol of Russian Monarchy and Russian State for more than four hundred years, till the October Revolution of 1917, and regained it's status in 1993 according to the order of President Boris Yeltsin of November 30, 1993.

There are different interpretations of this symbol. The most common version says that two heads of the eagle symbolize that Russia consists of two part - European and Asian, and they are of equal importance for the country.

Source:  The official state symbols

The Stamps

The Stamps with the Russian Federation Flag (33 Rubles) and State Seal (76 Rubles) were issued on 27FEB2026.

The Postmark

The stamps were cancelled with the First Day Postmark for the 2026 Cities of the Golden Ring of Russia, dated of  27MAR2026.

The issue comprises one single stamp with a face value of 65 Ruble, dedicated to the city of Sergiyev Posad, which is the administrative center of the Sergiyevo-Posadsky District in the Moscow Oblast.

My thanks to Vadim for helping me out in adding this cover to my collection.

 My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Argentine Republic / República Argentina 

The Flag

The flag of Argentina was created by Manuel Belgrano on February 27, 1812, during the struggle for Independence of the United Provinces of Río de la Plata. Belgrano took the colors of the badge that was already in use. The first time the flag was raised in Buenos Aires on 23 August 1812.

Following the declaration of independence on July 9, 1816, sky-blue flag and white was adopted as a symbol by Congress on July 20 of 1816, Congress added the sun was on 25 February 1818. On June 20 is declared Flag Day as a tribute to Manuel Belgrano (died June 20, 1820).

It consists of three horizontal stripes of equal size, upper and lower blue-blue, and white center, in the middle, a golden yellow sun. The Official Flag measures are 1.40 m long by 0.90 m high (ratio 9 / 14).

The sun will be the figure of eight gold coin shields and silver eight reales, which is recorded in the first currency in Argentina, by Act of the Sovereign Assembly on 13 April 1813, with thirty-two flamboyant and straight rays alternately placed in the same position observed in those currencies. The color of the sun is yellow gold.

Source: Consulado General en Sidney | Our Symbols

The Coat of Arms

Elliptical shape.

Cut sky-blue and silver (white).

In the bottom half, right-handed two-handed shake, holding a pole in sky-blue half holding a Phrygian cap, symbol of freedom. In the end, a rising sun (figuratively, of gold) with twenty-visible rays alternately straight and flame.

Two branches of laurel wreath on the forming face of the sun and cross at the base, tied with a ribbon with the colors of the National Flag.

Source: Consulado General en Sidney | Our Symbols

The Stamps

Being a very large country it is no surprise that Argentina has quite a few national parks and natural reserves, which some sources say number more than 50 in total.

Since 2019, Correo Argentino, the national postal operator has issued several sets illustrated with images of the nation's parks and reserves.

On the cover three of these stamps can be seen:

1500 Pesos, issued on 13NOV2023 - Laguna El Palmar National Park 

2000 Pesos, issued on 13NOV2023 - Campo de San Juan Federal Park 

200 pesos - issued on 03JUN2029 - Patagonia National Park

 

The Postmark

Although hard to read, I know that the postmark was applied at the Post Office of Ushuaia, the most austral town in the world, as the legend in the postmark reads.

Again, a huge thanks (clad in green, for my envy is immense), to Marta, my youngest daughter, who went through the trouble of getting to the post office at Ushuaia to send daddy a letter.

  My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Brazil / Republica Federativa do Brasil 

The Flag

The national flag was established on 19 November 1889, four days after the Proclamation of the Republic. It was inspired by the flag of the Brazilian Empire. The colour green represents the House of Braganza, the Portuguese royal family, and the colour yellow represents the Habsburgs, the family of Empress Leopoldina. In addition, the colours depict the country's riches: green for the woods and forests, yellow for mineral wealth, blue for the sky, and white for peace.

‘Order and Progress,’ the motto written on the flag, is inspired by positivist philosophy. The stars symbolise the 26 states and the Federal District. Their arrangement represents the Southern Cross constellation on 15 November 1889 in Rio de Janeiro, when the Republic of Brazil was proclaimed. Flag Day is celebrated on 19 November.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Source: Símbolos nacionais representam a identidade de uma nação, diz consultor — Senado Notícias

The Coat of Arms

The National Arms or National Coat of Arms represent the glory, honour and nobility of the country and were created on the same date as the national flag. The use of the symbol is mandatory in the buildings of the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches and by the Armed Forces. They are also present in all public buildings, representing the characteristics that make up the Federative Republic.

The coat of arms is a blue shield, supported by a five-pointed star, arranged in the shape of the Southern Cross constellation, with a sword at the ready. Surrounding it is a crown formed by a branch of coffee berries and another of flowering tobacco on a golden halo. The symbol also bears the date of the proclamation of the Federative Republic of Brazil, 15 November 1889.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Source:  Símbolos nacionais representam a identidade de uma nação, diz consultor — Senado Notícias

The Stamps

Founded in 1999, the G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 sovereign countries, the European Union (EU), and the African Union (AU).[2][3] It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation and sustainable development, through annual meetings of heads of state and heads of government.[

The 19 member states of the G20 account for around 85% of gross world product (GWP), 75% of international trade, 56% of the global population,[5] and 60% of the world's land area; including the EU and AU, the G20 comprises 78.9% of global population and 83.9% of global CO2 emissions from fossil energy.

Source: G20 - Wikipedia

- The 19th summit meeting of the G20 took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the 18 and 19 November, 2024, under the motto "Building a just world and a sustainable planet".

Marking the occasion, Correios do Brasil issued on 05NOV2024 the 6.3 Reais on te cover, illustrated with the logo of the summit and carrying it's motto as legend: "Construindo um mundo justo e um planeta sustentável".

 

Caiçaras (Portuguese pronunciation: [kajˈsaɾɐs]) are a people who inhabit the coastlines of the Brazilian states of Paraná, São Paulo and Santa Catarina, and the municipalities of Paraty and Angra dos Reis, in the south of Rio de Janeiro. They were formed from the intermixing of Indigenous, Africans and Portuguese people. The main basis of Caiçara culture is artisanal fishing, cultivation of small gardens, hunting, plant extraction and handicrafts.

Source: Caiçaras - Wikipedia

On 01JUL2022 Correios do Brasil issued the stamp on the cover celebrating the "The Caiçara Villages and Populations of Brazil" as can be read on the tiny legend in the frame of the stamp image

The drone captured photograph on the stamp shows a fisherman with his catch inside a canoe with another canoe to its side where a fishing net can also be perceived.

The Postmark

The Postmark was applied at the Central Post Office of São Paulo, the Capital of the eponymous State and the largest city of Brazil with almost 11.5 million inhabitants.

My "Muito Obrigado" goes out to Luis, whose help was instrumental to make it possible for me to add this cover to my collection.

 My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

 Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 

/የኢትዮጵያ ፌዴራላዊ ዴሞክራሲያዊ ሪፐብሊክ

The Flag

The Ethiopian flag comprises three colors. In the center there is a national coat of arms. The three colors are set horizontally in equal dimension with green at the top, yellow in the middle, and red at the bottom. 

Source: Historys - Embassy of Ethiopia

What the colors symbolise varies depending on point of view. However, generally, red represents the blood spilled in defense of Ethiopia; yellow represents peace and harmony between Ethiopia's various ethnic and religious groups; and green is said to symbolise hope, or the land and its fertility.[citation needed] The colors had historically been used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (red for faith and power, yellow for the church & peace, and green for natural wealth) prior to their adoption as the colors of the state, likely due to them being easy to produce and common in the Ethiopian landscape

Source: Flag of Ethiopia - Wikipedia

The Emblem

The national emblem is a blue circle with depiction; straight and equal lines of yellow come from all directions and join each other. A star is formed by the straight and equal lines with yellow rays radiating from the joints of the straight and equal lines. The national coat of arms on the flag reflects the hope of the nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia, as well as of its religious communities to live together in unity and equality.

Source: Historys - Embassy of Ethiopia

The Stamp

The 40 birr stamp is part of a three stamp issue (20; 30; 40 birr) dated of 21JUN2023, themed on Ethiopian frogs.

The Hildebrandtia macrotympanum, the animal depicted in the stamp,  is a species of frog in the family Ptychadenidae. It is a rarely seen fossorial frog[1] that is found in southern Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. Common names Somali ornate frog, northern ornate frog, and plain burrowing frog have been proposed for it.

Source: Hildebrandtia macrotympanum - Wikipedia

The Postmark

The unusual rectangular postmark was applied at Lalibela, a town in the north of the country, famous for its rock cut monolithic churches.

A huge "Danke Sehr! goes out to "The Phantom", for this interesting addition to the collection.

 My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

 Republic of Estonia  /Eesti Vabariik 

The Flag

The state flag, which is also the national flag, is rectangular in shape, divided into three horizontal bands of equal size. The upper band is blue, the middle one is black and the lowest band is white. The proportions of the flag are 11:7 and its normal size is 165x105 cm.

The blue-black-white flag was first consecrated at Otepää on the 4th of June, 1884, as the flag of the Estonian University Student Association. During the following years the blue-black-white flag became a national symbol. The Provisional Government of Estonia adopted a resolution on the 21st of November, 1918, proclaiming the blue-black-white flag the state flag. The Law on State Flag was adopted by the Parliament (Riigikogu) on the 27th of June, 1922.After the forcible annexation of Estonia by the Soviet Union in June, 1940, this flag was banned.

In 1987/88, during the days of the "singing revolution", or the process of regaining independence, the blue-black-white flag was used openly as a national symbol. On the 24th of February, 1989, the blue-black-white national flag of Estonia was flown from the tower of Pikk Hermann.

The blue-black-white flag was re-adopted as the state flag on the 7th of August, 1990 and the Law on State Flag was passed on the 6th of April, 1993.

Source: Symbols

The Coat of Arms

The Estonian coat of arms comes in two formats, a large one which shows three blue lions, passant gardant, on a golden shield framed on each side by gilded branch of the oak tree with the stems of the branches crossing at the base of the shield. The small shield is identical except for the gilded branches.

The design of the shield originates from the XII century, when the Danish King Valdemar II presented the City of Tallinn (Reval) with a coat of arms similar to that of the state of Denmark, showing three lions. A similar motif was transposed to the coat of arms of the Province of Estonia, which was adopted by Catherine II, Empress of Russia, on the 4th of October, 1788. The Parliament (Riigikogu) of the Republic of Estonia adopted the state coat of arms on the 19th of June, 1925. After the forcible annexation of Estonia by the Soviet Union in 1940, this coat of arms was banned.

The use of the historic coat of arms as the state coat of arms of the Republic of Estonia was re-adopted on the 7th of August, 1990. The Law on State Coat of Arms was passed on the 6th of April, 1993.

Source: Symbols

The Stamp

The cultural, sociological and public health role that saunas play in society in Baltic and Scandinavian Europe is well documented and recognised, their use being a relevant and widespread tradition in the countries of the aforementioned regions.

One would think that all saunas are created equal, but that is not the case and according to regions and countries there may exist slight differences in modus operandi and even in attendance rules.

One of the idiosyncratic types of sauna is the Estonian Smoke Sauna, which has its most famous expression in the region of Võromaa, so much so that it was recognised as  Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity  by UNESCO,  in 2014.

This particular type of sauna differs from others in that the sauna house has no chimneys, so that the smoke may be kept inside, while the sauna is heating (without any people inside, of course). 

Excess smoke will flow to the outside through smoke shutters all trough the heating process, which can take up to six hours. One hour before the use, the house will be ventilated so that the smoke goes out and people might come in to enjoy the heat and humidity while whisking themselves with soft branches of trees with foliage, so as to increase circulation and sweating.

As usual, all finishes up with a quick rub in the snow outside, of course.

One curiosity about the smoke sauna is that it can also be used to smoke meat (no, not one's own, but some good pieces of ham...) 

Since 2021, Esti post has been running an annual one stamp issue series dedicated to "Great estonia Things".

The 2023 issue, in the form of the 1.30 € stamp in the cover, was issued on 25AUG2023. Being dedicated to the Estonia Smoke Sauna, it features a marvellous illustration of a smoke sauna wooden cabin and the legend "Head Eesti asjad  - Suitsusaun" (Great Estonian things - The Smoke Sauna).

The Postmark

Unfortunately, the mechanical cancellation is almost illegible, although it is possible to read "Esti Post" on the base of the circular mark.

 Once again I have to thank my dear wife for managing to include a "search for stamps and mailbox" activity line in her always busy schedule.

My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

 Kingdom of Spain  / Reino de España

The Flag

Pursuant to Article 4.1 of the Spanish Constitution of 1978, "the Spanish National Flag consists of three horizontal stripes - red, yellow and red, each red stripe being half the width of the central yellow stripe".

The origin of the current Spanish Flag dates back to the reign of Carlos III of Spain (1759-1788). Three types of flag coexisted in Spain at the time: the royal standard, the military flags and the Spanish navy jack. Most countries were using jacks that were predominantly white. This caused identification problems and confusion between warships at sea. To solve this problem, Carlos III of Spain commissioned his Minister of the Navy, Antonio Valdés y Bazán, with designing a replacement for the Spanish navy jack.

The king chose two of the 12 sketches presented to him - on which he adjusted the dimensions of the stripes. He declared the first to be used as the War Ensign and the second as the Civil Ensign by means of the Royal Decree of 28 May 1785.

During the reign of Carlos IV of Spain (1788-1808), the General Orders on the Spanish Navy of 8 March 1793 made extensive use of the so-called red-weld flag [from rojigualda and the more archaic use of gualda to refer to the colour of the central yellow stripe] in maritime plazas, castles and coastal defences, and it became known as the Royal Flag.

A phenomenon emerged during the Spanish War of Independence (1808-1814), in which a series of non-regulation flags proliferated. A number of sailors lent their services to terrestrial campaigns and, for the first time, bi-colour ensigns were seen throughout inland Spain.

Under the reign of Queen Isabel II of Spain (1833-1868), use of the bi-colour flag spread to the Army and the Spanish flag was thus unified. The Royal Decree of 13 October 1843 provides for the replacement of all flags, standards and badges, and military ensigns with other new red-weld ones.

Subsequently, the Instructions on Navy ensigns, flags, honours and salutes, of 13 March 1867 once again explicitly describes the flag to be used by ships, arsenals and maritime plazas.

Amadeo I of Spain (1871-1873) respected the heraldry of the Spanish Flag. During the First Republic (1873-1874), plans were drawn up to include a purple stripe to replace the lower red stripe. However, no change was actually made.

During the reign of Alfonso XII of Spain (1874-1885), an Instruction on naval ensigns, flags, honours and salutes was enacted on 10 December 1878. Article One of this document defines the national flag in the same terms as the aforementioned Instruction of 1867.

Under the Interim Government during the Second Republic (1931-1939), a decree was enacted on 27 April 1931 requiring the adoption of a tricolour national flag comprising "three horizontal strips of equal width; the upper being red, the central being yellow and the lower being dark purple".

Shortly after the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the red-weld flag was reinstated among rebel troops. After the Military Uprising (18 July 1936), a number of different flags proliferated among troops. To prevent this, the Chairman of the National Defence Council - General Cabanellas - signed the Decree of 29 August 1936 whereby the traditional flag was recovered. The Sole Article of this document states: "The red and weld bi-colour flag is re-established as the Flag of Spain".

A few years later, during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco (1939-1975), the Decree of 11 October 1945 approved the New Regulations on Ensigns, Flags and Badges that governs their use and form, and defined the characteristics of the three types of National Flag for units of the Armed Forces, warships and buildings.

Following the death of Franco in 1975 and the restoration of the House of Bourbon through King Juan Carlos I of Spain, these Regulations were replaced by Royal Decree 1511/1977, of 21 January, which approves the Regulations on Flags and Standards, Crosses, Ensigns and Badges.

Current legislation is based on the Spanish Constitution of 1978, which defines the Spanish Flag in its Article 4.1.

Source: La Moncloa. The State Symbols of Spain

The Coat of Arms

The current Spanish Coat of Arms reflects much of the country's history. The elements of which it is composed have a long tradition dating back more than nine centuries.

The heraldic process of the Coat of Arms of Spain has passed through the following periods:

The Trastámara Dynasty: The Coat of Arms of the Catholic Monarchs (1474-1492) was composed of the Coat of Arms of the Kingdoms of Castile, Leon and the Crown of Aragon. After the conquest of Granada, the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Granada was incorporated.

The Habsburg Dynasty: Initially (1504-1506) it included the arms of Bourgogne, Flanders, Brabant and Tyrol. Carlos I stamped the coat of arms with the imperial crown and added the Pillars of Hercules and the motto "Plus Ultra", as well as the Golden Fleece. Felipe II, Felipe III and Felipe IV and Carlos II, whose reigns lasted from 1556 to 1700, used this coat of arms without the imperial crown. In 1580, Felipe II incorporated the arms of Portugal.

The Bourbon-Anjou Dynasty: The coat of arms of Felipe V (1700-1759) incorporated the fleur-de-lis of the house of Bourbon with an outline in gules (red). It continued to use the Golden Fleece and added the Order of the Holy Spirit in form of a necklace. Carlos III (1759-1788) added the arms of the Duchies of Parma and Tuscany and replaced the Order of the Holy Spirit with the order that bears his own name. Carlos IV used his father's model.

Bonaparte Dynasty: José I divided the shield into six quarterings: 1 Castile, 2 Leon, 3 Aragon, 4 Navarre, 5 Granada and 6 the New World, represented by the Pillars of Hercules. He also added an inescutcheon with the Bonaparte coat of arms.

The Bourbon-Anjou Dynasty: Fernando VII recovered the coat of arms of his ancestors and his daughter Isabel II used the same model.

Provional Government (1868-1870): A ruling by the Royal Academy of History unified the Coat of Arms of Spain with the following quarterings: 1 Castile, 2 Leon, 3 Aragon, 4 Navarre and 5 Granada. It drew a nebuly, stamped it with a mural crown, removed the shield with the coat of arms of the Bourbon-Anjou dynasty and added the Pillars of Hercules, without crowns.

The Savoy Dynasty (1870-1873): Continued with the previous coat of arms, re-established the royal crown and added an inescutcheon with the family arms.

The First Republic (1873-1874): Re-established the mural crown and removed the arms of Savoy.

The Bourbon-Anjou Dynasty: Alfonso XII and Alfonso XIII re-established the royal crown and added the fleurs-de-lis with the gules (red) border of their family and incorporated the necklace of the Golden Fleece.

The Second Republica (1936-1939): Re-established the mural crown and eliminated the arms of Bourbon-Anjou, using the same arms as in the First Republic.

Dictatorship of general Franco (1938-1975): Used heraldic devices similar to those of the Catholic Monarchs, replacing the arms of Aragon-Sicily by those of Navarre, adding the Pillars of Hercules and the motto "una, grande y libre" (one, great and free).

The Transition Period (1977-1981): Royal Decree 1511/77 of 21 January, approving the Regulation on Flags, Insignia and Badges, altered the design of the motto on the coat of arms, but the main change consisted of presenting the eagle of Saint John rising, or about to take flight, shielding the Pillars of Hercules under his wings, rather than outside as previously.

This coat of arms was in force from 1977 until it was replaced by the current one in 1981, under Law 33/1981, of 5 October, governing the Coat of Arms of Spain.

Source: La Moncloa. The State Symbols of Spain

The coat of arms of Spain represents Spain and the Spanish nation, including its national sovereignty and the country's form of government, a constitutional monarchy. It appears on the flag of Spain and it is used by the Government of Spain, the Cortes Generales, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, and other state institutions. Its design consists of the arms of the medieval kingdoms that would unite to form Spain in the 15th century, the Royal Crown, the arms of the House of Bourbon, the Pillars of Hercules and the Spanish national motto: Plus Ultra. 

Source: Coat of arms of Spain - Wikipedia

The Stamp

José Saramago (1922-2010) was, to this date, Portugal's sole recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature, for a vast body of literary work which includes such magnificent books as "Memorial do Convento" (Baltasar and Blimunda) or "O ano da morte de Ricardo Reis" (The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis) or "Caim" (Cain), to name but three of his best known novels.

Further to novels, Saramago also authored poetry, theatre, essays and even a well respected sort of intimate travel book: "Viagem a Portugal" (Journey to Portugal)

Loved by some, hated by a few also, Saramago was a controversial name due to his ideological and political positions, (he was a member of the rather orthodox Portuguese Communist Party).

His position regarding the Catholic Church in a highly catholic country and such titles as the "O Evangelho Segundo Jesus Cristo" (The Gospel according to Jesus Christ)  and "Caim" (Cain) would also earn him a fair share of enmities and, at some point in his career,  he would be censored by the Portuguese Government who shamefuly withdrew his name from a list of canditates to an European literature prize.

This happened in 1991... he would win the Nobel the very next year, in 1992.

Saramago was also a defender of the integration of Portugal into an Iberian federation of Nations, which would be called Iberia not Spain, so as not to hurt Portuguese feelings.... so it is not a surprise that  he would choose Spain, Lanzarote in the Canary islands to be more precise, to exile himself after the censorship episode I mentioned above. There he would live until his death in 2010.

On 15NOV2023, Correos de España issued a 1,23€ stamp in its "Literatura" series, honouring the Portuguese writer and Iberian man of culture. The stamp features a Black and White photograph of Saramago in Lanzarote.

The Postmark

The Pictorial Postmark is that of the main Post Office of Madrid, located in the sumptuous Palacio de Cibeles, the former Palacio de Telecomuniocaciones, whose façade is rendered in the postmark stamp.

The cover was sent me by none other than myself on my last visit to Madrid.

  My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

 Grand Duchy of Luxembourg / Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg

The Flag

The first known flag was carried by Count William of Luxembourg in 1123. It was barred, i.e. horizontally striped, probably yellow and red.

The current Luxembourg flag is made u of three horizontal bands of red white and sky blue

In order to tell the Luxembourg and Dutch flags apart, a pragmatic solution was adopted: the Dutch blue is ultramarine and the Grand Duchy's blue is sky blue (Pantone colour code 299C).

Source: National symbols - Luxembourg

The coat of arms of Luxembourg, modified many times, was devised in the years between 1235 and 1239 by Henri V, count of Luxembourg.

The now official version contains the following essential elements: barruly of argent and azure in ten parts and a lion rampant gules, crowned, armed and langued in gold with a forked tail crossed in saltire

There are three grades of the Grand Duchy's coat of arms: the small, the medium and the great coat of arms 8 [the latter being the one printed on the cover]

Source: National symbols - Luxembourg

The Stamp

The tariff E 50g stamp on the cover is part of the 2022 Europa (C.E.P.T.) common issue themed on  “Stories and Myths”. The full set comprised 2 stamps (L 50g + E 50g) and was issued on 17MAY2022.

The stamp on the cover is inspired in the tale of Melusina, who, legend has it, was the wife of count Siegfried, who, in 963, established the country with the acquisition of the “Bockfiels” (Bock promontory).

The good count fell in love with the beautiful young woman he came upon one day while hunting in some cliffs  and he proposed to marry her. She accepted on  condition that she would never have to leave the cliffs where he had found her and also that he could not go see her on Saturdays. 

To make it possible to abide by her sweetheart's wishes, the count acquired the promontory -  and there he ordered a castle to be built, named Lucilinburhu, (you get the connection, right? )

There they lived in perfect harmony, so much so that Melusina gave birth to seven children.

One Saturday, though, the count could not resist curiosity any longer and decided to take a peep into the keyhole of his wife's chambers and saw her coming out of her bath, only to discover that she had a fishtail (for she, of course, was a mermaid).

When Melusina realised her husband and broken her promise, the earth literally fell from her ... tail.. and she was engulfed by the cliffs, never to be seen again.

The legend says that Melousina appears on the cliffs every seven years waiting to be saved by someone, but so far no one managed to do it....

The Postmark

I personally posted this envelope in Luxembourg city. I asked the lady at the Post Office counter to manually postmark the stamp, but she answered me it was not possible to do so and that I should drop the letter into de letterbox on the outside in order for it to be processed, and that's what I did...

The mechanical postmark contains a vignette dedicated to The International Confederation of Childhood Cancer Parent Organisations (ICCCPO), with the slogan "Een häerz fir kribskrank kanner" (A heart for cancer patients) and the URL for  the Luxembourg Associate  of ICCCPO, Fondatioun Kriibskrank Kanner: https://www.kriibskrankkanner.lu.

 My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

 República Italiana / Repubblica Italiana

The Flag

The tricolour became Italy’s national flag in Reggio Emilia on January 7th 1797, when the Cispadane Republic, at the proposal of Deputy Giuseppe Compagnoni, decreed “that the Cispadane Standard or Flag of Three Colours, Green, White and Red shall become universal and that these three Colours also be used in the Cispadane cockade, which must be worn by everybody”. But why precisely these three colours? In the Italy of 1796, which was swept by the victorious Napoleonic army, almost all the numerous Jacobin-inspired republics that had supplanted the old absolute States had adopted flags featuring three bands of equal dimensions and of varying colours, which were clearly inspired by the French model of 1790.

Also the “Italian” military divisions, which were established at the time to support the Napoleonic army, had standards fashioned in the same vogue. More specifically, the regimental banners of the Lombard Legion were coloured white, red and green, three colours that were deeply rooted in the Region’s collective heritage: the white and the red were taken from the age-old municipal coat of arms of the city of Milan (a red cross on a white field) while the green was taken from the uniforms of Milan’s Civic Guards, which had been green as of 1782. The same colours were later adopted for the standards of the Italian Legion, which grouped together the troops of the regions of Emilia and Romagna, which was probably the reason that spurred the Cispadane Republic to confirm them as the colours of its own flag. At the heart of the white fess, the emblem of the Republic, a quiver containing four arrows, surrounded by a garland of laurel decorated with a trophy of arms.

...

The Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed on 17 March, 1861, and its flag continued to be the one that was customary prior to the war of independence. However, the lack of an ad hoc law on the national flag, which instead only concerned military banners, led to the development of several variants, which were often arbitrary.

It was not until 1925 that the models of the national and State flags were prescribed by law. In the State flag, which was to be used in the residences of the sovereigns, the seats of Parliament, and in institutional offices and diplomatic missions, the coat of arms was defaced with the royal crown.

After the birth of the Republic, a presidential legislative decree of 19 June 1946 provisionally established the new flag, which was later confirmed by the Constituent Assembly in its session of 24 March 1947 and incorporated into Article 12 of the Constitutional Charter. The normally arid wording of the session’s minutes reveals all the emotion of that moment: “PRESIDENT [Ruini] – I put to the vote the new formula proposed by the Commission: The flag of the Republic is the Italian tricolour: green, white and red, in vertical bands of equal dimensions”. (The proposal is approved. The Assembly and the public in the gallery rise to their feet. A loud, prolonged applause echoed in unison).

Source: Italian Tricolour Flag

The Emblem

The emblem of the Italian Republic is characterised by three elements: the star, the cog-wheel, and olive and oak branches.

The olive branch symbolises the nation’s will for peace, embracing both internal concord and international brotherhood.

The oak branch that rims the right-hand-side of the emblem embodies the strength and the dignity of the Italian people. Moreover, both plants are among the most typical of Italy’s forest species.

The steel cog-wheel symbolises work and represents the first article of the Constitutional Charter: “Italy is a Democratic Republic, founded on work”.

The star is one of the most ancient emblems of Italian iconography and it has always been associated with the personification of Italy, crowning its head with its bright shine. This was how it was represented in the iconography of the Risorgimento and in the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Italy (the so-called “big star”). The star later characterised the first republican decoration during the reconstruction: the Star of Italian Solidarity, a decoration awarded to Italian military expatriates who made an outstanding contribution to the reconstruction of Italy after World War II.

Source: The emblem

The Stamp

Queen Elizabeth II (1926 – 2022) ruled the United Kingdom for almost 71 years, what makes of her the longest reigning queen in history.

One year past her death, on 12SEP2023, Poste Italiane honoured her memory with a single "B 1" tariff  (up to 50g Europe and Mediterranean bassin) stamp, which is quite illustrative of her long reign through a  clever and quite distinctive use of her effigy, under which her royal seal is also included. 

The Postmark

Unfortunately, the cover was not hand delivered at the Post Office but rather deposited in one of Poste Italiane's letterboxes. Later it was fed through a cancelling machine, but something went wrong and  the main part of the  cancel fell off the envelope, with its waves falling on the left side of the cover....

I thank my dear wife for having found the time to go through the trouble of getting the stamp and looking for a letterbox to send the cover, amidst her very tight working schedule.

As to the stamp, a foreign monarch is is not  a particularly adequate theme for a stamp meant to be used on a "National Cover" but I am sure my wife did her best and  insofar as it is an Italian stamp, all goes well that ends well. ;-)

My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

 Republic of Slovenia / Republika Slovenija

The Flag

The flag of Slovenia is the white–blue–red Slovene national flag bearing the coat of arms of Slovenia. The ratio between the width and length of the flag is one to two. 

The colours of the flag are, in the following order, white, blue and red. Each colour occupies a horizontal band covering one third of the flag. The coat of arms is positioned in the upper left canton of the flag such that it is positioned with one half in the white band and the other half in the blue band.

Source: National symbols | GOV.SI

There are two sources for the white-blue-red colours of the Slovenian national flag. For its national ethnic banner Slovenia had adopted a copy of the Russian flag, to show solidarity with fellow Slavic peoples, at the time of the Napoleonic Wars. Even earlier, however, the Holy Roman emperor had granted a coat of arms to the “Crown Land of Carniola,” which was then a part of the empire. This coat of arms featured a white shield bearing a blue eagle with a red-and-white checkered crescent on its breast.

Source: Flag of Slovenia | Meaning, Colors & Design | Britannica

The Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of Slovenia is in the form of a shield. The centre of the shield depicts Mount Triglav, as an emblem in white colour on a blue background, with two wavy lines below it symbolising the sea and rivers and three golden six-point stars arranged above it in the shape of a point-down triangle. The shield features a red border on two of its sides. The coat of arms is designed in accordance with a set standard of geometry and colour.

Source: National symbols | GOV.SI

The coat of arms of Slovenia is an emblem[1] that consists of a red bordered blue shield on which there is a stylised white Mount Triglav, under which there are two wavy lines representing the sea and the rivers of the country. Above Mount Triglav, there are three golden six-pointed stars representing the Counts of Celje.[2] It was designed in 1991 by Marko Pogačnik and adopted on 24 June 1991.

Source: Coat of arms of Slovenia - Wikipedia

The Stamp

The stamp on the cover is part of Slovenia's 2025 EUROPA issue on the common theme of  Archeological Discoveries, comprising two stamps (1,79 and 2,06 €) issued on 09MAY2025.

It depicts a Centaur archer brooch.

Round brooches made of plated bronze over an iron core are relatively common finds in Slav cemeteries from the eighth and ninth centuries in Slovenia's Gorenjska region. Notable among them, for the quality of workmanship and, above all, for the depiction of a centaur archer, is this brooch from the Brda cemetery near Bled.

In stylistic terms it belongs to Carolingian art, which drew on illuminated manuscripts. Most comparable artefacts are from sites in the Upper Danube basin and the Rhineland. The figure of the centaur archer developed in Babylonian art before 1000 BC as a symbol of the zodiac sign Sagittarius. It entered Roman and medieval astrological depictions of Sagittarius via Egypt and was later adopted in Christianity.

We will probably never know exactly how this brooch ended up in a Slav grave in the Brda cemetery near Bled. It may have been made by a Christian who based the design on an illustration from an illuminated manuscript. On the other hand, the Slavs, who were pagans when they settled this area in the sixth century and whose Christianisation under the Carolingians had only just begun in the eighth century, probably did not see this design as a Christian symbol but as a pagan one. The centaur archer may have reminded them of Perun the Thunderer, the supreme god of the Slavs, who could also be depicted as a horseman with a thunderbolt or bow in his hand.

Source: Poštna znamka

 

The Postmark

The Postmark was issued at Ljubljana, the country's capital. 

My thanks to my wife who kindly went through the trouble of  including a visit to the Post Office during her busy work stay in Ljubljana.

 My National Covers

Every now and then I have the opportunity to add what I call a "National Cover" to my collection.

These are nothing fancy. In fact they are but covers that I print  at home with the flag and coat of arms of a specific country and which I then either send to a fellow collector who is willing to help or give to friends or family or take my own self whenever travelling abroad, in the hope that these might find a way to a local post office to get a stamp and a postmark.

I will be adding these to a new "My National Covers" section in this blog.

If you don't see your country here and are willing to help me add your own country's national cover to my collection, please email me at pnsoares1@gmail.com. 

You'll get a cover from Portugal (if you want I'll be happy to print a Portuguese National Cover just like the ones I print for myself, although in a somewhat larger envelope) and a printed envelope with the relevant symbols printed, so that you can then return it to me.

Thanks a lot.

Note: Whenever possible I will try to transcribe the flag and coat of arms information from the relevant national site. Failing that I'll transcribe from Wikipedia.

__________________________________________________________________________________

 Republic of India / Bhārat Gaṇarājya

The Flag

The National Flag of India was adopted in its present form during the meeting of Constituent Assembly held on the 22 July 1947, a few days before India's independence from the British on 15 August, 1947. It served as the national flag of the Dominion of India between 15 August 1947 and 26 January 1950 and that of the Republic of India thereafter. In India, the term "tricolour" refers to the Indian national flag.

The National flag of India is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy blue wheel which represents the chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.

In the national flag of India the top band is of Saffron colour, indicating the strength and courage of the country. The white middle band indicates peace and truth with Dharma Chakra. The last band is green in colour shows the fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land.

The Dharma Chakra depicted the "wheel of the law" in the Sarnath Lion Capital made by the 3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The chakra intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation.

Source: My India My Pride - Indian Tricolor - Know India: National Portal of India

The Emblem

The State Emblem is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath. In the original, there are four lions, mounted back to back, on a circular abacus, which itself rests on a bell-shaped lotus. The frieze of the abacus has sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening Dharma Chakras.

The profile of the Lion Capital showing three lions mounted on the abacus with a Dharma Chakra in the centre, a bull on the right and a galloping horse on the left, and outlines of Dharma Chakras on the extreme right and left was adopted as the State Emblem of India on January 26, 1950. The bell-shaped lotus was omitted. The motto Satyameva Jayate, which means 'Truth Alone Triumphs', written in Devanagari script below the profile of the Lion Capital is part of the State Emblem of India.

Source: National Identity Elements - State Emblem - Know India: National Portal of India

The Stamps

- After decades of  mostly non-violent and civil disobedience struggle led mainly by Mahatma Gandhi and his followers, India achieved independence from the United Kingdom on the 15th August 1947.

Celebrating three quarters of a century of Independence, India Post issued on 11FEB2023 the 5 rupee stamp on the cover illustrated with the official logo of the commemorations, which bears the  Hindi legend Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which might be translated into " The Elixir of Freedom".

- The 75th anniversary of India's independency occurring in the same year in which the United Arab Emirates celebrated the 50th anniversary of its formation, was the occasion chosen by the Postal Administrations of both countries to create a joint stamp issue, consisting of two stamps bearing the flag and the logo of the commemorations of each country.

The 25 rupee stamp bearing the Indian flag and logo issued on 16FEB2022 is also present on the cover. (The companion set stamp in the set has the same denomination /25 rupees) and bears UAE's Flag and 50 years of formation logo).

The Postmark

Piyush, whom I thank for this very nice addition to my collection sent the following notes, regarding the rather interesting cancellation:

The cancellation was issued at Goa and it commemorates  the 18th Exposition of St. Francis Xavier's Relics.

St. Francis Xavier arrived in India in 1542, [as a representative of the Portuguese Empire] embarking on a mission to spread Christianity.

His tireless efforts led to numerous conversions across India, Japan and other parts of Asia.

Sadly, he succumbed to illness in 1552 on the island of Shangchuan. His body was later brought to Goa, where it remains remarkably preserved.

The exposition of his relics in Old Goa, held every ten years, is a significant pilgrimage for Catholic worldwide, attracting thousands of devotees seeking blessings and spiritual solace.

My most sincere thanks to Piyush for his help in my obtaining this cover.