The Republic of Haiti and the Holy See Unveil the Special Postmark in Commemoration of the 165th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations

On the occasion of the 165th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Haiti and the Holy See, the Postal and Philatelic Service has issued a special postmark featuring the icon of “Our Lady of Perpetual Help,” the Patroness of the small Caribbean nation where she is especially venerated and has long been invoked as protector.

The postmark depicts a detail from this particular representation of the Virgin, rich in complex yet delicate symbolism—such as the gesture of the angel who distracts the Child from his mother’s embrace by showing him the instruments of the Passion, a reference to the acceptance of the sacrifice necessary for the redemption of humanity.

The unveiling of the postmark took place on June 27 (a day dedicated to the memory of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Haiti) at the Chapel of the Choir in St. Peter’s Basilica, in the presence of H.E. Archbishop Emilio Nappa, Secretary General of the Governorate, and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Haiti to the Holy See, Ms. Marie Guerlyne Janvier, who, in her concluding remarks, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the work carried out by the Vatican Postal and Philatelic Service