325th Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy

The Vatican celebrates the 325th anniversary of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, a historic institution of the Holy See founded in 1701 with the mission of training diplomats destined to serve the Catholic Church throughout the world. For three hundred and twenty-five years, the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy—an institution that, overcoming difficult moments shaped by history, has affirmed itself as the “diplomatic school of the Holy See”—has trained generations of priests who, in service to the Petrine ministry, carry out their work at the Pontifical Representations [called Nunziatures] worldwide and the Secretariat of State. Pope Francis, by Chirograph dated March 25, 2025, reformed the institution so that it might better fulfill its aims. He established it as an Institute ad instar Facultatis for the study of Diplomatic Sciences and, by authority of the Holy See (cf. Veritatis Gaudium, Arts. 2 and 6; Implementing Norms, Art. 1), it grants second- and third-cycle academic degrees in Diplomatic Sciences. This issue is intended to pay tribute to the fundamental role played by the Academy over the centuries as a center of excellence for the formation of priests called to embody, in diverse cultural and political contexts, the universal concerns of the Holy Father. The stamp reproduces the façade of Palazzo Severoli, the historic seat of the Academy located in Piazza della Minerva in Rome. The image highlights the architectural elegance of the building and recalls its deep connection with the diplomatic tradition of the Holy See. The postmark features a graphic design depicting the façade of Palazzo Severoli, with the inscriptions: “325° Anniversario della Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica”, “Poste Vaticane”, “Die emissionis 25.04.2026”.