Philately: uncovering the history behind stamps.
Behind every stamp lies a long and fascinating history that has its roots in the birth of the postal service and the need to communicate over long distances. The term “post” has ancient origins: according to the scholar Cujacio, it derives from “Apostolis”, referring to the “apostolic letters” sent by the Roman Curia, and appears in documents from the time of Charlemagne and the Lombards.
Since the Middle Ages, the Church has used its own messengers, the “cursores”, to maintain contact with the world. Convents and abbeys also managed internal postal services, which were sometimes used by private citizens.
With the development of trade and the rise of the bourgeoisie, the need for more extensive and efficient communication grew. This led to the creation of the “university post” and the “merchants post". Starting in 1499, the first national post offices were established in Rome with the Pope's authorisation, beginning with Spain, followed by Naples, Milan, Rome and Florence.
The big change came in 1840, when Rowland Hill in England proposed an innovative postal system based on a single, prepaid rate calculated according to the weight of the letter. This led to the creation of the postage stamp: an adhesive label indicating that payment had been made. This system spread rapidly throughout Europe and the world.
In Italy, too, the pre-unification states adopted the postage stamp between 1850 and 1852. The Papal States, which attached great importance to the postal service, introduced their own issue in 1852, avoiding the effigy of the Pope in favour of the symbol of papal power: the crossed keys and the tiara.
To resolve the difficulties of international correspondence, the General Postal Union was founded in 1874, which soon became the Universal Postal Union: a convention regulating postal traffic between member countries.
Over time, new postal communication tools also emerged, such as postcards (from 1870) and then picture postcards, thanks to colour printing.
With the Lateran Pacts of 1929, the sovereignty of the Holy See was recognised, including the possibility of establishing its own postal service. The Vatican Postal Service was officially activated on the 1st of August 1929 and since then has been issuing stamps, the issues of which are regulated by ordinances published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis. Postcards and aerogrammes are also part of this heritage, which is highly prized by collectors.
Even today, despite the digital age, the charm of philately remains intact. Stamps, letters and postmarks continue to tell stories, cultures and moments in life. Philately is a rich and boundless world, capable of connecting past and present, history and imagination.