Philatelic cover 2024 - €3,20

“In this year of preparation, I would greatly desire thet we devote 2024, the year preceding the Jubilee event, to a great symphony of prayer” (Letter of Pope Francis to Archbishop Rino Fisichella, President of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization). In line with the Holy Father's intentions, the philatelic cover, with a printed value of €3.20, also seeks to contribute its own note to this symphony. The illustration on the left depicts Pope Francis in a moment of prayer, holding a rosary in his hands before the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. The value imprint features the image of an orans, a common motif found in Christian catacombs since the early 3rd century. Typically, it depicts a man or woman standing with arms raised in an attitude of prayer. Here, the faithful figure is meant to represent not only the praying individual, but more broadly, the entire Church united in prayer.