| The Philippines is known
as the largest Catholic nation in Asia. Eighty-four percent of the population
are devout Catholics with beliefs and practices anchored in the official
teachings of the Catholic church and Catholic faith. Likewise, the devotion
to the Blessed Virgin Mary is an inseparable practice among Filipinos.
In October 2004, at the 48th
International Congress held in Guadalajara, Mexico, His Holiness, Pope
John Paul II opened the International Eucharistic Year 2004-2005 for the
whole world to celebrate. In the Philippines, the Catholic Bishops' Conference
(CBCP) declared a national yearlong celebration of the International Eucharistic
Year with the theme "Celebrating the Eucharist with Mary".
To bring this awareness to
greater heights and to bring the sectors of the youth and professionals
to a deeper and meaningful encounter, the CBCP Permanent Committee for
International Eucharistic Congresses and the Philippine Postal Corporation
signed an agreement which launched the first ever Commemorative Stamp Design
Contest.
The results of the contest
yielded 13 national winners in the elementary, high school, college, seminary
and professional categories. The awarding and culmination activity was
held on December 8, 2005, the feast day of the Immaculate Conception. The
first prize winning artworks and the logo, which is an original design
of Ms. Telly Farolan-Somera, the executive secretary of the CBCP Permanent
Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses, are made into artistic
stamps and were displayed for public viewing at the Manila CPO Lobby.
Stamps, Souvenir Sheets and
Official First Day Covers will be available starting 8 September 2005 at
the Philatelic Service, Door 203, Liwasang Bonifacio, 1000 Manila and all
Regional Offices of the Philippine Postal Corporation. |
