Vatican City

Civitas Vaticana, Città del Vaticano

1958 Lourdes Anniversary

21st February 1958

100th anniversary of a claim by peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous to have seen apparitions of the Virgin Mary.

The stamps depict:

• an image of Mary appearing to some sheep;
• a sick person with the immense Sanctuary of Lourdes in the background;
• Bernadette Soubirous with Lourdes Fort in the background.

Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees. In 1858 Lourdes rose to prominence in France and abroad due to a claim by peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous to have seen apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Soubirous was later canonized. Shortly thereafter the city became one of the world's most important sites of pilgrimage and religious tourism. Lourdes hosts around six million visitors annually. This constant stream of pilgrims and tourists transformed quiet Lourdes into the second most important center of tourism in France, second only to Paris, and the third most important site of international Catholic pilgrimage after Rome and Palestine. As of 2011, of French cities only Paris had more hotel capacity.

Scott Catalogue Number: 233 - 238

Michel Catalogue Number: 282 - 287

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