Postal service issues John Paul II stamps

THE postal corporation on Monday began issuing special commemorative stamps of Blessed Pope John Paul II to mark his beatification in Rome earlier this month.

The stamps come in four designs, each one featuring the late pope and a different site he visited in the country as a backdrop.

The postal authority issued 140,000 stamps with a denomination of 7 pesos (US$0.16).

The late pope, who died on April 2, 2005, visited the country three times, once as a cardinal and twice as pope in 1981 and 1995.

The postal service announced it is also issuing some 7,000 souvenir sheets of 40 peso stamps.

The souvenir sheets come in two designs: a waving John Paul II that includes the block of four stamps, while the second only features one stamp.

The post office says stamp collectors may obtain limited edition sets at the postage and philatelic department at Manila’ central post office building.

Alvin Fidelson, spokesman of the post office, said a first-day issue of stamps of a particular person, places or event “holds special interest among collectors.”

Blessed Pope John Paul II was beatified in Rome on May 1 before an estimated 1.5 million pilgrims.

Repor from ucanews.com