Posted on 10/19/2012 7:00:47 AM PDT by marshmallow
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The dramatic story of the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt has been depicted in art and music for centuries. Today, the story travels on millions of Forever stamps with the U.S. Postal Service's issuance of the Holy Family stamp as the nation prepares for the holiday mailing season. The stamp goes on sale today at Post Offices nationwide and can be purchased online at usps.com/shop or by phone at 800-Stamp24 (800-782-6724).
The stamp was unveiled at Bethlehem Chapel, the earliest completed portion of Washington National Cathedral. The center panel of the limestone altar reredos (backdrop) depicts the birth of Jesus, and the chapel's five windows tell the Nativity story with colorful detail. The design of the 1980 Christmas stamp featured the Madonna and Child taken from the chapel's Epiphany stained glass window. The Christmas-themed iconography of Bethlehem Chapel extends to the needlepoint kneelers, which bear symbols and images related to the Nativity story including stars, mangers, camels, magi, shepherds, and angels.
"To me, this beautiful piece of contemporary art is an important part of the joyful and miraculous story of hope and salvation that we celebrate each Christmas season," said U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors member Louis J. Giuliano.
"We are proud that this stamp will decorate millions of greeting cards, letters and packages this year," said Giuliano. "Cards may carry seasonal messages inside but season's greetings really begin on the outside with stamps."
"The story of this new family forced to leave their home reminds us in the Christmas season to bring comfort and joy to those who are marginalized by our societythe poor, the elderly, the immigrant, and the refugee," said the Very Rev. Gary R. Hall, dean of Washington National Cathedral. "This beautiful depiction of the Holy....
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Ironic that nowadays Egypt is the place you run from, not to.
A cynic would conclude the Post Office, under huge financial stress, took the expedient route to revenue: tap into the guns and bible crowd and sell more stamps.
But, but, but .... this is a violation of the separation of Church and State!
I'm ordering a lifetime supply of these before they are confiscated by Big Bro.
That’s what I was thinking
The Holy family fleeing Egypt with a burning Copt Christian church behind them would be appropriate for these times
Was going to post it above but the link in the original article kept timing out so I gave up.
Uh oh. Why is “FOREVER” crossed out in the image of the stamp?
just in time to try to make BHusseinO look a little bit Christian?
re: just in time to try to make BHusseinO look a little bit Christian?
Not at all. It it the annual religious Christmas stamp.
Yes, we have been waiting for the Christmas stamp.
Thanks,
Sounds like a Knights of Columbus campaign.
I'm calling the ACLU just to be safe. /s
That is just beautiful. I like it better than the
previous last few. I hope that they made it big. I always feel cheated with their Christmas stamps in that they make them so small that you cannot appreciate the detail.
I have a friend in Hawaii whose family always buys enough Christmas stamps to last the whole year. They use them on all their mail in tribute to the Holy Family. I think that’s a nice tradition. With the postal service in dire straights, I think it would behoove all of us to buy a year’s worth of stamps as our Chhristmas gift to the men and womein who deliver our mail.
That’s really a beautiful stamp, but I can’t help thinking this administration permits it only so they will be allowed to produce more EID stamps.
Ahaa soo ... I never noticed that before.
BFL. Awesome pic
That was my first thought too. regardless of how “unconstitutional” they may find this.
Haha your fears are NOT without merit FRiend! I must admit I was a bit shocked when I read the headline, especially with the recent news from that Texas high school sued for “separation” of church and state because they had the “nerve” to use Bible verses as motivation for their football team.
However if I remember my “social studies” correctly (and I trust a fellow FReeper will correct me on this if I’m wrong) the Post Office isn’t technically a branch of the Federal govt. It’s original inception was when it was decided a private enterprise that had gained a monopoly on the mail delivery business was given an exception to “anti-trust” and allowed to operate as a monopoly, for the “good of the people.
Kind of like Amtrak and your local utility companies.
So if some rabid atheist were to compain, they*could* say its a private business, not the govt “endorsing” religion.
I could be wrong. I’ve been wrong about a lot these days.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.