COVER N. 535 - VATICAN

Postmark: 25º della Fondazione Venezia Per La Ricerca Sulla Pace Die Emissionis Poste Vaticane  14.11.2024

Posted on the 14th November; Received on the 20th November 2024

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The second part of  Eric's wonderful surprise: the companion issue from the Vatican to the Italian issue mentioned in the previous blog article .... Merci encore, Eric!

The Fondazione Venezia per la Ricerca sulla Pace, was established on 16 December 1999.

According to its website, the founding bodies of the Foundation include, alongside the Veneto Region, the Province and the Municipality of Venice, the University of Venice, the Cini Foundation, the European Cultural Society, the Literary Society of Verona, the Veneto Institute of Science, Literature and Arts. Religious culture is alsoo represented in the organisation through the Maytreya Study Centre for Buddhists, the Lutheran Church and the Don Germano Pattaro Centre for Theological Studies; the University of Padua is nowadays also a member of the Foundation.

The Foundation is tasked with carrying out of research activities, by itself or in collaboration with national and international institutions, on security, development and peace issues and the implementation and promotion of initiatives to disseminate the results of the research carried out.

On the occasion of its 25th anniversary the City State of  The Vatican and the Italian Ministry for Business and Made in Italy issued, on 14Nov2024,the single stamp joint issue used on the FDC. 

The 1,25 € is illustrated with the logo of the Foundation printed over  a  map entitled ‘Perspective Plan of the City of Venice and its Lagoons’, published in a 1534  book by Benedetto Bordone, entitled ‘Isolario’, kept at the Correr Museum Library in Venice.

The First Day Postmark replicates the logo of the Foundation and carries the mention "Day of Issue", in Latin, the offical language of the Holly See.

POSTCARD N.12 - Vatican

Postcrossing postcard included in Cover n.24 
Potscard image: SSt. Peter's Basilica, a UNESCO WHS
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Janez visited the Vatican and kindly sent me this Vatican City Postcard on his return to his hometown of Bled, Slovenia, in cover n.24

The Vatican, the tiniest state in the world, is also, I'm sure, the one with the most artworks per inhabitant, due to its lavishly stuffed museums being located within the state, in the middle of the eternal city.

I first visited the Vatican in 1980, on an inter-rail trip I did with friends that would take us to Greece. I visited but saw literaly nothing, because on the train to Rome, I put my head out of the window and a piece of dust or earth or whatever flew directly into my left eye, causing some damage to the cornea, I later learned. I remeber being under the columns, at St. Peter's square trying to get a visual impression of it to no avail. I simply could not open my left eye, and it hurt...

I went in search of an hospital to be examined by a doctor. Luckily there was an ophtalmical hospital near the Vatican, so I went there, guided by one of the friends travelling with me. I remember being taken care of by this gorgeous intern Polish doctor and we both had a lot of fun trying to get ourselves understood: she spoke little english, I spoke but a few Italian words and certainly no Polish... all of a sudden two Carabinieri came in to the emergency ward where we were, with a fellow with his eyes badly bruised... Turns out a couple of days before a bomb had been placed in Bologna Central Station, killing 85 people. The guy was suspect of having been one of the terrorists who performed the horrible deed.

Many years later, I was strolling on the street on my way to visit the Vatican Museums when I noticed this yelow building and a strange déjà vu sensation took me by assault....I looked at the sign above the entrance, it read "Ospedale Oftalmico"....It all came back to me...