Postal Markings

VATICAN CITY, 1984, for the 3rd centenary of his birth
featuring the Potala, the great monastery in Lhasa

Fr. Ippolito Desideri, SJ (1684-1733), an Italian Jesuit from Pistoia, was the first European Tibetologist. He studied the Tibetan language, religion and culture during his brief stay in Tibet (1716 to 1721), and pioneered Christian-Buddhist dialog. After he arrived in Tibet he told officials that he wished to live his life there and to preach to them the law of Christ. He found extraordinary favor with the King, Prime Minister and Dalai Lama, who welcomed him as a friend, allowed him to purchase a home and to pursue higher studies at the Sara Monastery, not far from Lhasa — things not normally permitted to foreigners. He left Tibet in 1721 because the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith had granted the mission in Tibet exclusively to the Capuchins, and he returned via Nepal to Rome. His copious manuscripts, published only in 1882, still provide a treasure trove for scholarly work. More

Father Robert F. Drinan, SJ
(1920- 2007)

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 1971-1981, franking

The above exhibit is an example of franking, the privilege of free mail for members of congress and certain other government officials — for one ten-year period one Jesuit's signature was as good as a postage stamp. Robert Drinan studied at Boston College and Georgetown, both Jesuit universities, entered the Jesuits in 1942 and was ordained in 1953. Drinan worked at Boston College Law School from 1956 to 1970 as professor and dean. He ran for Congress, was elected and served from 1971 to 1981 as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Drinan was the only Roman Catholic priest in US history to serve as a full member of Congress. Fr. Gabriel Richard, the first Catholic priest to be elected to the House of Representatives, was elected by the Territory of Michigan, and served a single term as a nonvoting territorial delegate from 1823 to 1825. After the 1980 order of Pope John Paul II that priests should not hold elective office, Drinan returned to teaching. More

Father Luis Frois, SJ
(1532-1597)

PORTUGAL, 1997, FDI cancel for Portugal and Macao common issue, Scott 2165-67
for the 4th centenary of the death of Fr. Luis Frois, SJ

Father Romualdo Galdos, SJ
(1885-1953)

SPAIN, 1985, show cancel for the centenary of his birth

Fr. Romualdo Galdos, SJ (1885-1953) Among other things author of A Commentary on the Book of Tobit (1930) and The Hundred Major Poems of the Bible (1942), a translator of The Book of Psalms (1933), Miscellanea of Maldonado (1934), Hruby's The Gospel and the Evangelists (1935), Bigazzi's Life of Jorge Campero (1943) Suarez's Mysteries of the Life of Christ (1948), and de Paz's Mary, Queen of the Church (1953). Fr. Galdos was honored by his countrymen with this show cancel at Eibar in the Basque Country of Spain.

Brother Bento de Goës, SJ
(1562-1607)

PORTUGAL, 1968, FDI cancel for Scott 1017-1018
for the 360th anniversary of the death of Br. Bento de Goës, SJ

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, SJ
(1568-1591)

ITALY, 1988-1992, cancels showing life of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, SJ from his hometown
1991, from his home town, for the 4th centenary of Gonzaga's death

ITALY, 2005-2007, show cancels from the Circolo Filatelico & Numismatico of Castiglione delle Stivere
The 2006 stamp show in honor of St. Aloysius recalled a visit by John Paul II by using his arms on their show cancel

AUSTRIA, 1991, show cancel for the 450th anniversary of the Jesuits and the 500th of Ignatius' birth
VATICAN CITY, 1991 FDI aerogramme cancel
SPAIN, 1991, a CLC show cancel also honoring Gonzaga
ITALY, 2004 cancel honoring the anniversary of his patronage of Rosolini (Prov. Siracusa)

UNITED STATES, 1989, a special cancel for the centennial celebration of parish named in honor of St. Aloysius Gonzaga

Archbishop Federico González Suárez
(1844-1917)

ECUADOR, 1994, FDI cancel for Scott 1336
the 150th anniversary of the birth of Archbishop Federico González Suárez

Father Balthasar Gracián, SJ
(1601-1658)

SPAIN, 1958, show cancel for the 3rd centenary of his death
2001, show cancel for the 4th centenary of his birth

SPAIN, 2001, FDI cancels for Scott 3109

Father Bartolomeu Lourenço de Gusmão
(1685-1724)

BRAZIL, 1985, FDI cancel for Scott 2040
the 3rd centenary of the birth of Fr. Bartolomeu Lourenço de Gusmão

Father Henry Heras, SJ
(1888-1955)

INDIA, 1981, FDI cancel for Scott 947
in honor of Fr. Henry Heras, SJ

Blessed Alberto Hurtado, SJ
(1901-1952)

CHILE, 1994, FDI cancel for Scott 1126, the beatification of Blessed Alberto Hurtado, SJ
2001, FDI cancel for Scott 1354-55, his 100th birthday
13 October 2005, FDI cancel for his canonization

Father Eusebio Francisco Kino, SJ
(1644-1711)

MEXICO, 1987, FDI cancel for Scott 1474 honoring the explorations of Fr. Eusebio Kino, SJ
UNITES STATES OF AMERICA, 1997, show cancel featuring Kino on horseback

Father Athanasius Kircher, SJ
(1602-1680)

GERMANY, 2002 , show cancel
the 4th centenary of the birth of Fr. Athanasius Kircher, SJ

Cardinal Ján Chryzostom Korec, SJ
(1924 - )

SLOVAKIA, 1991, 1994, and 1999

Postmarks in honor of Cardinal Ján Chryzostom Korec, SJ (1924 - ), from his native town of Bošany, Nitra, the site of his episcopal see, . Cardinal Korec was ordained secretly to serve the underground Church in Czechoslovakia during the Communist era. He was arrested in 1960, and sentenced to 27 years in a prison camp. After several years in the gulag, he was released in 1968 and elevated to the College of Cardinals in 1991.

Saint Stanislaus Kostka, SJ
(1550-1568)

GREAT BRITAIN, 1988, special anniversary cancel
AUSTRIA, 1990, show cancel for the 450th anniversary of the Jesuits and the 500th of Ignatius' birth

Father John Francis "Jake" Laboon, SJ
(1921-1988)

UNITED STATES, 1995, first day in commission naval cover from the USS Laboon