Vatican issues ‘sede vacante’ postage stamps valid until a new pope is elected

VATICAN CITY AP Vatican post offices and selected collectors shops this week started selling special stamps marking the period between Pope Francis death and the voting of his successor The so-called sede vacante stamps include an image used by the Vatican in official documents in periods between popes two crossed keys but no papal headgear They went on sale Monday and will only remain valid until a new Holy Father appears at the window of St Peter s Until then they can be used to send letters postcards and packages With the polling of the new pope they lose the postal value but the collectible value goes up Francesco Santarossa who runs a collector s shop across from St Peter s Square explained Tuesday The Vatican printed stamps in four face values at euros euros euros and euros They carry the words Citta del Vaticano Vatican City and Sede Vacante MMXXV vacant See All bear a reproduction of the same image three angels holding up a canopy shielding the symbolic papal keys against a background of white clouds The last time the Vatican issued stamps for the interregnum between popes was in when Benedict XVI broke tradition and retired The issuing of sede vacante stamps dates from Starting on May cardinals will gather to elect Francis successor It is not known how long the secret referendum will last Source