The Vatican’s Philatelic and Numismatic Office released on November 23 postage stamp series, celebrating the journeys of Pope Francis in 2016, including a postage stamp commemorating the apostolic visit to Armenia.



Designed by artist Daniela Longo, the stamp shows the Pope in a moment of prayer in front of the Armenian Genocide Monument in Yerevan.



To remind, Pope Francis paid a 3-day apostolic visit to Armenia on June 24-26 in 2016. The Director of the Holy See’s Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi, stated that the papal visit underlined the Pope’s desire to show his closeness to the entire nation of Armenia, whose people who had suffered so much during their long history and who shared their desire for peace.



During his trip to Armenia, the Pope travelled to the Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex in Tsitzernakaberd, held meetings with the country’s leadership and religious authorities, including Catholicos Karekin II. Pope Francis next held an open-air Mass in Armenia’s second largest city Gyumri. On his final day, the Pope will visit the Khor Virap monastery near the Turkish border where he released doves in the direction