Vintage Pope John Paul 2 postcards from Vatican and Rome

There was a big sale few weeks ago by an online seller from France. The seller also sells vintage postcards, stamps, coin, banknotes, photos and first day covers.

The postcards were thematic and featured then Pope John Paul 2 in the early 1983 to mid- 1980’s, mostly issued in Rome, Italy and Vatican City. These types of postcards were commonly sold to pilgrims, tourists, collectors of stamp ( philatelists) and postcards (deltiologists) who collect these types of thematic collection.

( This postcard lot initially cost 3.95 Euro had a marked down price of 2.77 Euro during the flash sale)

Technically, all the postcards were about 37 years-old and are highly collectible items. Thousands of these postcards were printed in many parts of the globe. This marked a long 26 year term from October 16, 1978 to April 2, 2005.

Vintage Pope John Paul 2 Postcards from Vatican and Rome, Italy

( one of the postcard depict Pope John Paul 2 with Vatican Papal seal )

Pope John Paul 2 postcards were sold per lot of 4 pieces – each lot initially cost Euro 3.95 , During the big sale, The lots were sold at Euro 2.77 or almost 30% discount , all the three lot cost only Euro 8.31 excluding shipping.

The three lot cost about Php 480.15 based on April 1, 2021 rate. This is also one way to commemorate his 16th death anniversary.

Pope John Paul 2 postcards dated 1983 ( Pope John Paul 2 upper left side a repeat postcard from the second lot)

According to a fellow deltiologist, Pope John Paul 2 postcards are highly collectible theme and the retail price of the postcard had risen by at least 3 to 5 times over the time.

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34th Grand Marian Procession In Intramuros

Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila-Philippines

Manila Cathedral facade

I usually attend the Grand Marian Procession within Intramuros which is scheduled every first Sunday of December every year . The weather was a bit overcast and it was raining during the early part of the afternoon. However it did not dampen the  devotees  and crowd from different part of Metro Manila and even  from far flung provinces. There are several foreign tourists who went to the area.

live band accompany the Marian procession

The event started in 1980 by the Intramuros Administration ( IA )and the Cofradia have organized the annual festivity since 1980, with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) replicating the full-force military participation during the processions of old.

statue of Paul John Paul 2

Organized by the Cofradia de la Inmaculada Concepcion Foundation and the Intramuros Administration (IA) every first Sunday of December, the event is a revival of the tradition that originated in Intramuros on December 8, 1619. Then a national celebration which ran for fifteen days, the event was launched at the Manila Cathedral.

Ladies wearing their finest Filipiniana attire ( Kimona)

Mrs. Imelda O. Cojuangco, Mr. Danilo L. Dolor and Mrs.  Aurora E. Eizmendi are founding chairperson, vice chairman and president of the Cofradia, respectively. Comite de Festejos Chair is Conrado A. Escudero. Hermanas Mayores for this year are Fe Rodriguez, Maritess Pineda and Mita Rufino.

Student cadets from the College of Saint Francis of Asisi of Las Piñas City 

The procession which start at 4:00 pm in front of the Manila Cathedral will feature more than 100 images of the Blessed Virgin mounted in different carrozas.

Mahal na Ina ng Kalinawagan ( Our Lady of Light) from  Cainta

The Marian float pays tribute to Our Lady of Light from Cainta, The carriage was beautifully arranged cut-flowers like white orchids, anthuriums, mums , liliums , coconuts, native baskets and native delicacy .

Mahal na Ina ng Poon Bato

The carriage pays tribute to Mahal na Ina ng Poon Bato a patroness of the Aetas of Zambales .   They gave interesting leaflets and estampitas to the devotees and passers-by.

 Maria Clara inspired costume with big petticoat  skirts

Nuestra Señora de Montserrat

The devotion have started in Spain and gradually spread over the new world and the Philippines

Our Lady of China- private collection

An officially sanctioned image of Our Lady of China was blessed, granted and promulgated by Pope Pius XI  in 1928, in response to the requests made by the 1924 Shanghai Synod of Bishops in China , the first national conference of bishops in the country.

a group of nuns having their photos taken at the Our Lady of China

There was an apparition of the Virgin Mary in Donglu , Quinyuan county in Hebei Province in China around 1900.

Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu

The rich and meaningful history of the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu dates back to the early Spanish era of 1596, when the Augustinians friars built the first settlements in the place. In the year August 29, 1659, the first parish was built under and in honor of the patron St. Matthew (San Mateo), the apostle and evangelist. But in December 6, 1696, the Jesuits came and gained control of the town. Thus, in 1705, a Jesuit priest, Fr. Juan Echazabal, started the devotion to our Lady of Aranzazu from Spain and changed the patron of the town from St. Matthew to Nuestra Señora de Aranzazu.

live apples form part of the arrangements

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AranzazuShrine

According to the Intramuros Administration, aside from the image of the La Immaculada Concepcion Mater Purisima, which is under their care.

Our Lady of Peñafrancia de Manila

What i particularly liked about this procession carriage is the use of indigenous materials like native fans and abaca fibers.

a contingent from  the province of Bataan

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

other images of the Blessed Virgin that are expected to join are the Nstra Sra. de los Dolores de Turumba from Pakil, Laguna, Virgen Milagrosa del Santissimo Rosario from Orani, Bataan, Nstra. Sra. de Visitacion de Piat from Cagayan, Virgen La Divina Pastora from Gapan, Nueva Ecija. and Nstra. Sra. de la Consolacion y Correa from San Agustin Church, Intramuros.

APO turns 60- a diamond jubilee exhibition

APO Philatelic Society 25th anniversary commemorative stamp issue in 1975

History:

The Amateur Philatelists Organization or APO (forerunner of the APO Philatelic Society) was organized on May 28, 1950 by the triumvirate of Messrs. Francisco Arcebal, Carlos Licup, and Mamerto Gallardo. The APO was founded on the paramount objective of bringing the hobby of stamp collecting into the consciousness of beginners and amateur philatelists by motivating them, educating them with proper guidance in the different aspects of philately, and rearing them to be responsible and competitive stamp collectors.

First Meeting

The first organizational meeting of the APO was held on June 11, 1950 with twelve members in attendance. On the third meeting, with 35 members present, the following were elected as the first batch of officers of the club: Francisco Arcebal, President; Joe de Castro, Vice-President; Teodora Fuentecilla, Secretary; Luz Baking, Treasurer; Carlos Licup, Business Manager; Conchita Sigua, Auditor; and Mamerto Gallardo, PRO.

Mr. Dionisio Taeza

Mr. Taeza  is a stamp , paper bill , coin , post card and phone card collector – His various exhibits won several awards during the past several years.A former OFW in Saudi Arabia , he was able to accumulate vast number of collections during his stay in the Middle East Kingdom.  Among his entries priced entries in this exhibition were Pope John Paul 2 stamp collections from different parts of the globe and postcards .

Mr. Dionisio Taeza pose for a souvenir shot – behind him are his collections of Pope John Paul 2 First Day Covers issued by Philippine Postal Corporation

According to Mr. Taeza,  He started  swapping  postcards and letters when  working in Saudi Arabia , It was the height of the snail mail era in order to avoid boredom and to have more friends. With three grown -up children , He  fondly remembers  good-old days of  stamp collecting  and swapping with fellow collectors from others parts of the globe

post card collection

The APO was listed on the Philippine Journal of Philately as the 29th philatelic organization in the Philippines. And this 29th stamp club is now the oldest surviving stamp club in the country today. The first APO Philatelic Exhibition (APOPEX) was held at the YMCA Camus Hall on December 10, 1950. Though modest in its inaugural exhibition, APO has consistently and faithfully put up exhibitions through these last fifty years – a feat unsurpassed by any other club.

The first issue of the APO Newsletter came out in March 1954. Mr.  Carlos Reyes was the editor; Ms. Teresita del Fierro and Mr. Bernardo Sembrano, managing editors. On January 1969, the club published its official organ, APO STAMPS, with newly elected President, Epifanio Paras, as editor.

AFP

Although there is the much older stamp-collecting club that is the Asociacion Filatelica de Filipinas organized on May 10, 1925. AFP is accredited with big stamp expositions like FEPEX in 1937, PANAPEX held in 1952, PHICIPEX was also held to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the first stamp of the country in 1954.According to some old time stamp collector this stamp club ceased their operations in the mid 1960’s.

The 18th APOPEX was held on November 24 to December 8, 1968 to coincide with the observance of Philatelic Week proclaimed by President Ferdinand E. Marcos in response to an APO resolution. President Marcos subsequently signed Proclamation 622, declaring the last week of November of every year as “Philatelic Week.” Hence APOPEX is always held on the last week of November.

A letter from Governor Dwight Filley Davis (birth July 5, 1879 – death November 28, 1945) from Malacañang cancelled aboard ship on November 14, 1930 to US House of Representative Hon. S.K.  Houston

Governor Dwight Filley Davis served as the Governor General of the Philippines from 1929–32.  He is best remembered for founding the Davis Cup Tennis  International Tournament .

The tournament was conceived in 1899 by four members of the  Harvard University  tennis team who wished to challenge the British to a tennis competition. Once their respective lawn tennis associations agreed, one of the four Harvard players, among them is Mr. Dwight F. Davis  who  designed a tournament format and ordered an appropriate sterling silver  trophy from Shreve, Crump and Low company  purchasing it from his own funds. Mr. Davis  is also a  prominent politician in the United States in the 1920s, and served as  US Secretary of War serving as from 1925–29 and served as Governor General  of the Philippines from 1929–32 under US President Herbert Clark Hoover a Republican.

Photo courtesy of : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_F._Davis

The APO Philatelic Society has secured its place in Philippine philately with the leadership and governance of its past presidents, carrying the colors of the club on their shoulders through several decades  – bringing joy and happiness to countless member-collectors, who had provided the inspiration and motivation for the club to strive further.

On 1999 APO Philatelic Society elected its female president led by Mrs. Paulina Calinawan , Then together with Philippine Postal Corporation  held a Thematic “ Flowers on Stamp ” exhibit  at the third level on EDSA Shangri-LA Mall in Mandaluyong City on August 27 to September  12, 1999.

APO Philatelic Society golden anniversary stamp issue

The Philatelic exhibition also coincided with the 53rd Mid-Year Orchid Show of the Philippine Orchid Society. Aside from philately, paintings , photographs and landscaped exhibits  of orchids and flowers were displayed and focused on the rare and exotic Vanda sanderiana or Waling-waling. A slogan canceller was also issued to coincide the event.   “ 50 years of stamp Collecting” was approved by the Philippine Postal Corporation on all outgoing mails at the post offices of Bacolod, San Fernando City, Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Manila, San Fernando City in Pampanga from May 24 to 31, 1999. This was to commemorate the 49^th founding anniversary of the organization.

Apo Philatelic Society celebrated its 60^th Anniversary last May 2010 with a luncheon buffet with their outgoing president Mr. Ignacio Tuazon,  a position that he held for almost 10 years. With the election of the new president led by Mr. Jimmy Ang   the organization is expected to be the forefront in Philippine Philately.

L-R Mr. Lawrence Chan ,Mr. Dionisio Taeza, Mr. Jimmy Ang ( President of APO Philatelic  Society) , Mr. Rey Ong de Jesus , Mr. Luis D. Carlos ( Philippine Postal Corporation’s Assistant Postmaster General for Marketing) (fifth from left)    Mrs. Elenita San Diego, Manager, Postage and Philatelic Department and the staff of Philatelic Division and Philpost employees graces the opening ceremony of the APO Philatelic Society’s APO @60 Philatelic Exhibition last May 9, 2011 at the Main Lobby of the PhilPost Building in Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila. 

At the tail end of their celebration, APO Philatelic Society held a stamp exhibit within the Manila Central Post Office from May 9, 2011 to May 22, 2011. Among the most popular exhibit topics  are  the Pope John Paul 2 exhibit, Dr.  Jose Rizal and President Noynoy Aquino ..

a luncheon was hosted by Mrs. Elenita San Diego( Head of  Postage and Philatelic Department)   second from left , together with Mr. Dionisio Taeza after the opening 

On its Diamond Jubilee Year,  APO will continue to commit itself to be at the forefront of Philippine philately – propagating the hobby to the next generation of stamp collectors and preparing them to be useful citizens of our country.

The exhibit runs until May 20, 2011. Everyone is encouraged to view the exhibit that features winning philatelic collections here and abroad.

Sources:

http://www.philippine-trivia.com/Institutions-Society/APO-Philatelic-Society.html

http://philpost.gov.ph/web/photo-feature-apo-philatelic-society-exhibit/