The United Kingdom’s Royal Mail has released five new stamps for the 2024 Christmas season, featuring some of the UK’s most famous Christian churches. The stamps feature painted images of each church set to a wintery theme, with snow falling and Christmas trees featured in each scene. This year’s lineup of holiday stamps features Westminster Cathedral as the lone Catholic entrant.
According to the BBC, the stamps were illustrated specifically for the stamp series by English artist Judy Joel. Released on November 5, the stamps are already available for purchase at post offices in the UK, while collectors abroad can purchase them at the Royal Mail’s website.
Alongside the Catholic Westminster Cathedral, the stamps also bear the images of famed Anglican churches: Liverpool Cathedral, Northern Ireland’s St Patrick’s Cathedral, Scotland's St Mary’s Cathedral, and the Welsh St Deiniol’s Cathedral.
Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, expressed his delight that Westminster Cathedral was included among the stamps in a video announcing the stamps to his archdiocese.
He noted that he hoped that the presence of Christian churches on the stamps would remind of the religious nature of Christmas time:
“I hope that seeing the image, they’ll understand that a church is a place where God dwells and where that sense of God’s presence is intense, comforting and consoling,” he said. “The presence of a church points directly to the birth of Jesus, because that is the way in which God comes into our world in flesh and blood. In order to honor and praise him, we create buildings of beauty – places of prayer – and Westminster Cathedral is an outstanding example of that.”
He encouraged the faithful to purchase the stamp emblazoned with the image of Westminster Cathedral, but he also reminded all viewers that they are welcome to visit the cathedral.
“More importantly, if you’re in London over Christmas, come down Victoria Street and visit the cathedral. It’s always open, there are thousands of visitors every day and you’d be most welcome. Once inside, you’ll capture, you’ll be touched by something of the beauty of God and of his delicate, humble, compassionate presence among us.”
