Italy 1958 Saint Bernadette
- Edition : "Poste Italiana S.p.A."; 1958; commemorative stamps of the issue "100th Anniversary of the First Appearance to the Saint Bernadette"; issue of 2 stamps
Note:
The original name of the "Saint Bernadette" or "Virgin Bernadette" was Bernadette Soubirous. She was born in a poor family on 07 Jan 1844 and dead on 16 Apr 1879 in the age of 35 years. Our Lady of Lourdes (= Mary) appeared to her 18 times in all at the "Grotto of Massabielle" ("Tuta de Massavielha)" or "Occitan massa vièlha") outside of Lourdes in the region "Gascon Occitanin" in contemporary Southwestern France near of the river "Gave de Pau", at the first once at 11 Feb 1858. On 18 Jan 1862 declared the Roman-Catholic Church Bernadette's visions as "authentic and supernatural". (In this relation is to notes that Pope Pius IX had declared 4 years before (in 1858) the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.) In 1866 Bernadette entered to the order "Sisters of Charity of Nevers", where she was active until to her death in 1879. She was exhumed in 1909 and placed in a gold-and-glass coffin in the "Chapel of Saint Bernadette" to Nevers (France) and can viewed there to today.
- Catalogue number: Michel: No. 1005,1006; Yvert et Tellier: 754,755; Scott: No. 739,740
- Issue Date : 16 April 1958
- Color : carmine rosa to red - blue
- Watermark : Italy No 4-II (multiple stars type II = tilted 65° to left)
- Nominal value : 15 L. (Lire) - 60 L. (Lire)
- Postage validity : to 31 December 1959
- Designed and/or engraved by :
- - R. Mura (design)
- - Vittorio Nicastro (1916-?) (engraving)
- Printed by : "IPS Officina Carte Valori", Rome ("IPS" = "Istituto Poligrafico di Stato")
- Print Process : calcography (recess printing) (first issue in normal paper)
- Perforation : comb perforation, K 14¼ : 14
- Stamp Size : printed area of a single stamp : 21.0 x 36.0 mm
- Print Run : 40,000,000 in sheets à 50 stamps
Commemorative stamps of the issue "100th Anniversary of the First Appearance to the Saint Bernadette"
(issue of 2 stamps)
The stamp motive of an each of the both stamps shows the "Column of the Saint Bernadette" and her "Chapel of Holy Bernadette" in Nevers (France).
