Vatican releases first Pope Leo postage stamps

A Vatican stamp featuring Pope Leo XIV is seen in this image released May 27, 2025. (CNS photo/courtesy of Vatican stamp and coin office)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican postal service began selling its first Pope Leo XIV stamps May 27 and offered a special cancellation of the postage featuring a line drawing of the new pope waving to the crowds in St. Peter’s Square.

Two of the stamps, with values of 1.25 euros ($1.42) and 2.45 euros ($2.78), feature photos taken of Pope Leo May 8 when he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica immediately after his election.

The other two, with values of 1.30 euros ($1.48) and 3.20 euros ($3.63), are close-up photos of the pope taken May 9 when he celebrated Mass in the Sistine Chapel with the College of Cardinals.

The Vatican post office said it was printing 390,000 of the stamps, which have his name in Latin across the top, “Leone PP. XIV,” and in smaller print along the side “Anno I S.P. MMXXV,” a notation that 2025 is the first year of his pontificate.