If you happen to receive a piece of mail from the Vatican this year, don’t be surprised to see the face of Martin Luther.
The Vatican office charged with issuing stamps, known as the Philatelic and Numismatic Office, confirmed Tuesday to LifeSiteNews that Luther, who broke away from the Catholic Church in a schism 500 years ago, will be celebrated with a postage stamp in 2017.
The Vatican regularly issues such memorabilia for special events, including papal trips and holy years. Honoring Luther and the Protestant Reformation is an unlikely choice, trumping other significant events in the Catholic Church such as the 100-year anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima and the 300-year anniversary of our Lady of Aparecida, Brazil.
Usually if individuals are commemorated on stamps they are saints, such as Teresa of Calcutta, John Paul II, and Pope John XXIII, who most recently were honored with stamps.
While the Vatican has in the past collaborated with other national post offices to create stamps that are not of explicitly religious content, such as Charlie Chaplain or the fall of the Berlin wall, the Luther stamp has an undeniable religious connotation linked with much hostility to the Catholic Church.
Pope Francis was criticized in the fall for his trip to Lund, Sweden for a commemoration of the Reformation’s 500th anniversary. He held an ecumenical event with Lutherans in the Vatican on October 13 with a statue of Martin Luther displayed. He has also suggested an openness to some Lutherans receiving the Eucharist. A Vatican office under his direction recently referred to Luther as a “witness to the Gospel.”
Full story at LifeSiteNews.
Fie, Pope Francis! Luther is a heretic, as so defined by the Church for 500 years. You lack all authority to venerate him now. Yes, Holy Father, Luther is so much more worthy of our veneration than our Holy Mother.
God knows best how to get what He wants from Mankind, but it is very difficult to understand how you could be selected as Pope.
It wasn’t a Reformation, its the 500th anniversary of the REVOLT. Why not a stamp for Sanger, Calvin, Smith or Lucifer while we’re at it.
Exactly!! Who is in charge of this scandalous fiasco? Serious problems at the Vatican under this pope :(
I would use the stamp for toilet paper to clean my dogs backs side and only for that.
Celebrating the man who split Christendom .. God Help Us….
So, P. Francis is celebrating chocolate Luther a little early, in anticipation of the Easter Bunny (the statue in back of him must be milk chocolate, and he is supplying the nuts).
Anyone who wants to know the defined Catholic faith can read the Denzinger Index (Enchiridion Symbolorum, 30th ed.) which defines the many specific heretical beliefs of Luther all contrary to the True Faith. Nn. 741-778, such as his many errors against Penance, the Eucharist, and denying indulgences granted to believers. The section on Trent (783ff) is even more forceful.
The Pope in permitting this action by the Vatican Philatelic and Numismatic Office, and make no mistake, it was cleared with him, gravely confuses the faithful—yet again.
I can’t wait to see the stamp that commemorates the Vatican bank scandal.
Good Grief !!! We should stamp out such stamps !
Since Pope Francis admires Martin Luther so much why don’t we just become Lutherans and get it over with.
Better, “Elizabeth,” if the Pope resigns his papacy and joins the Lutheran Church as one of its ministers or bishops.
We stay Catholic, as Christ’s Church is where those for whom salvation is important should reside.
That’s a better idea than mine.
when the judas stamp is unveiled sometime in the spring, it will be explained as an application of insights from the year of mercy
Well a Luther Stamp is in good company with the JP2 and JohnXXIIIrd stamps before it. Someday there may be a FrancisI stamp too! The great Apostacy foretold in the New Testament and Our Lady’s apparitions arrived nearly half a century ago with the opening of the V2 Council, but many did not see it. Don’t worry though, Our Lord has not abandoned us. We can find refuge in His Sacred Heart and Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart in Roman Catholic Parishes that still practice tradition i.e. the Tridentine Latin Mass and 7 Holy Sacraments abolished by the V2 Council. Seek and you shall find. Take courage, God will show you His way. I wonder if Luther is dancing in his grave for joy?
Ok, but it would make sense if they simultaneously issued an (extra sharp) “letter opener” with the image of St Thomas More, to follow this stamp, no?
Jim,
That’s the best laugh I’ve had all day. :)
Who will be on the next Vatican stamp? Adolph Hitler?
A stamp of the Prince of Darkness may be next. Or perhaps due to the promotion of women we could have a stamp of the nun that married this reprobate that divided the Christian world submerging it into war.
No, Gratias, I only slightly disagree with you:
But, I think the most appropriate next Vatican stamp should be Krusty the Clown, because that would “say it all” about the present state of affairs there.
POPE LEO X EXCOMMUNICATED LUTHER
If I may… ahem.
I keep having a problem with the new Luther stamp. I keep spitting on the wrong side.
(Hat tip to my Grandfather who told the same joke but with FDR stamp.)
It took me a few days to appreciate the humor in your post, keithp. We could use more humor and less rancor.
Very inappropriate, very poor decision!
Next stamp should feature reverend moon
Next up Muhammed on a Vatican stamp why not, way to go Bergoglio!!!! Guess the Roman Church was wrong all along, tell that to the English martyrs.
Bull Cum Ex Apostolatus [16 February 1559] – Pope Paul IV
. . “Further, if ever it should appear that any bishop, or a cardinal of the Roman Church, or a legate, or even the Roman Pontiff, has beforehand deviated from the Catholic faith or fallen into heresy, We enact, decree, determine and define: . .. “Each and all of the words, as acts, laws, appointments of those so promoted or elected — and indeed, whatsoever flows therefrom — shall be lacking in force, and shall grant no stability and legal power to anyone whatsoever.”
I guess Paul IV wanted to stamp out heresy. :)