Vatican issues stamp marking Ukraine war anniversary

On Thursday, the Vatican unveiled a new postage stamp dedicated to Ukrainian Catholics. It depicts Kyiv’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour during a power cut, illuminated only by the orange glow of the evening sky. This week marks four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Vatican’s postal service generally avoids overt political references in its designs, favouring religious motifs. Power cuts, however, have become a frequent feature of daily life in Ukraine following Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.

Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of roughly four million Ukrainian Greek Catholics, described the release of the stamp as ‘a great moment of consolation’ and a sign of particular attention during what he called a tragic period of war. During the conflict, the cathedral also served as an air-raid shelter and, according to Shevchuk, became a ‘centre of resistance’.

The stamp was issued to mark the 30th anniversary of the restoration of the Catholic Diocese of Kyiv and the 12th anniversary of the cathedral’s completion. It has a face value of €1.35.

(reuters, max)