Pope Francis (2013–2025) 20.05.2025

On Easter Monday, 21 April 2025, Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 following a long illness.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, he entered the Jesuit order in 1958 and was ordained as a priest in 1969. He was appointed Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and created a cardinal in 2001. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict, he was elected Pope on 13 March 2013 – the first Jesuit and the first South American to hold the office – and chose the name Francis. His pontificate was marked by humility and simplicity. Pope Francis was a tireless advocate for social justice and interfaith dialogue, and he initiated wide-ranging reforms. He was deeply committed to protecting the environment, promoting solidarity, and resolving conflicts through peaceful means. Despite criticism over both the reforms he pursued and those he left undone, he will be remembered as a Pope close to the people. To mark the passing of Pope Francis, we would like to draw your attention to the stamp set for the Jubilee Year 2025 as well as to the commemorative ORF Peace Light from Bethlehem miniature sheet – a joint issue released in 2020 with Vatican City.

Value: 1.55 euros
First day of issue: 23.05.2025
First day: 8056 Seiersberg
Stamp size: 30.00 x 44.82 mm
Perforation measurement: 12 x 12
Graphic design: Kirsten Lubach
Printing: bpost Stamps Printing
Printing technique: offset printing
Quantity: 180,000 on sheets of 50 units each

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