Vatican City issues Sede Vacante stamps April 28

Vatican City issued four Sede Vacante stamps April 28.

The sede vacante, which translates to “the chair being empty,” is the period when the last pope is no longer pope and the new pope has not yet been elected.

The sede vacante began April 21, when Pope Francis died, and will continue until the conclave of cardinals elects a new pope.

The new stamps were issued a week later, Monday, April 28, in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45 and €3.20. They include the words “Sede Vacante MMXXV” and “Citta Del Vaticano.”

The design, which is the same for each stamp, depicts a variation of the coat of arms of the Holy See used during the sede vacante period. These arms show an umbrella over the crossed keys of St. Peter.

The €1.25 stamp pays the rate for Italy; the €1.30 stamp for other European countries; the €2.45 stamp for Africa, Asia and the United States; and the €3.20 stamp for Australia.

Vatican City last issued Sede Vacante stamps in 2013. These stamps (Scott 1519-1522) were issued March 1, 2013, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on Feb. 28 of that year and before the election of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio as pope on March 13.

The first Vatican City stamps commemorating Bergoglio as Pope Francis were issued May 2, 2013 (Scott 1523-1526).

Pope Francis was born Dec. 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was the first pope from the Americas and the first Jesuit to lead the Roman Catholic Church.

Starting May 2 Vatican City offers special folders with all four stamps and official souvenir envelopes with a cancellation created for the 2025 sede vacante.

The website of the Vatican City Philatelic Office can be found under the “Services” tab on the Vatican City State website.

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