Stamp issue “Feast of Saint John” available for sale from 15th August

Stamp issue “Feast of Saint John”

Macao Post and Telecommunications Bureau originally scheduled the issuance of the new stamp theme “Feast of Saint John” on 24^th June 2022. Due to the Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia, the sale of the philatelic products and hand-back service (cancellation date will be the issue date: 24^th June 2022) will be postponed to 15^th August 2022, while the issue date will remain unchanged. Mailing service of the above issue will not be available.

The “Feast of Saint John” marks the 400^th anniversary of Macao’s victory over an invasion attempt. At the dawn of 24^th June 1622, a fleet of 13 Dutch warships laid siege to Macao, but they were repelled by a small bunch of local inhabitants. This miraculous victory took place on the Day of Saint John the Baptist who was made the patron saint of the city. Since then, the Senate (City Council) organized a procession and a novena each year in addition to other popular festivals, in honor of this historical event.

The 24^th of June became the Macao City Day and it was a public holiday until Macao returned to its motherland in 1999. Several local associations have been organizing the “Feast of Saint John” at Calçada da Igreja de São Lázaro since 2007, promoting the customs and lifestyles of the Portuguese and Macanese. The feast was recorded in the inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Macao in 2020.

This issue includes a set of two stamps and one souvenir sheet. The stamps, with bright and vivid colours, illustrate the Feast of Saint John held at Calçada da Igreja de São Lázaro, the Portuguese-style building with colourful flags, food and drinks, and musical performances, showing the Portuguese and Macanese cultures. The souvenir sheet highlights the statue of Saint John the Baptist placed at the Municipal Affairs Bureau, the image of Macao city in 1622 and the Victory Monument at Victory Garden, representing the origin of this festivity.

The above issue will be available for sale at the General Post Office (9:00a.m. to 5:30p.m.). The philatelic products are as follows:

200,000 stamps with the face value of 2.50 patacas

200,000 stamps with the face value of 4.00 patacas

200,000 souvenir sheets with the face value of 14.00 patacas

3,000 FDC @ 6.00 patacas

3,000 FDC/SS @ 6.00 patacas

4,000 information brochures @ 7.00 patacas

The selling price for one set of two stamps is 6.50 patacas, the first day cover with stamps (FDC) is 12.50 patacas, the first day cover with souvenir sheet (FDC/SS) is 20.00 patacas, the information brochure with stamps is 13.50 patacas and the information brochure with souvenir sheet is 21.00 patacas.

The stamp designer of this issue is Mr. Lui Chak Keong, and the text of the information brochure is written by the International Institute of Macau.

This is the seventh theme of 2022 issues. The previous issued stamps are “Lunar Year of the Tiger” on 05/01/2022, “Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022” on 25/01/2022, the label stamp “Lunar Year of the Tiger” on 15/02/2022, “Red Cotton Tree Flower” on 01/03/2022, “Sixth Patriarch – Hui Neng” on 10/03/2022, “70^th Anniversary of the Nursery Service of the Women’s General Association” on 21/05/2022, and “50^th Anniversary of the Promulgation of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage” on 10/06/2022.