Vatcan City-Postage Stamps-Issued 1946

Illustrated below is a partial set of postage stamps issued by the Vatican in 1946 to commemorate the anniversary of the first meeting of the Council of Trent. in 1545. Fourteen stamps were issued with values from

5 Cents to 10 Lire. The first stamp the 5 Cent (sepia and olive-bistre) features the Cathedral of  St Vigillo,scene of twenty three of the Councils twenty five sessions.

The set consists of 12 vertical and 2 horizontal Express stamps of 5 and 10 Lire values. The rest of the set shows figures concerned with summoning, influencing or managing the Council meetings or with persons responsible for Catholic reform. Nine of the values in the set are illustrated below.

Corrado Mezzana designed the stamps which were printed by photogravure. The vertical stamps measure 3 x 4 cm. The horizontal stamps measure 4 x 3 cm. The un-watermarked set is perforated 14 x 14. A total of 2 million stamps (5-cent through 4-lire values) were printed, and 1 million of the 5-lire and 10-lire stamps were printed.