On May 8, the Vatican unveiled a new commemorative postage stamp marking the first anniversary of the election of Pope Leo XIV. Issued by the Vatican Postal and Philatelic Service, the stamp continues the Holy See’s long‑standing tradition of highlighting significant moments of a pontificate through finely crafted philatelic releases.
The new stamp features a portrait of Pope Leo XIV set against the image of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii-an iconographic motif celebrated by the Church precisely on May 8. In the composition, the Blessed Virgin is depicted with her gaze gently directed toward the Holy Father, symbolizing her maternal protection. Artist Raúl Berzosa explains that this gesture was intentionally chosen to convey spiritual depth and a theological message within the miniature format of a postage stamp.
In a statement to ACI Prensa, Berzosa reflects not only on the creative process but also on the challenges that artificial intelligence poses to contemporary sacred art. According to him, AI can serve as a useful tool for generating ideas and compositional structures, yet it remains “soulless,” as it cannot experience what it depicts. The artist notes that recent years have seen a “flood” of algorithm‑generated images that often borrow stylistic elements from real creators, including his own works. This phenomenon, he says, evokes both admiration and concern, as machine‑produced images may be visually impressive but frequently lack the spiritual individuality that a human artist brings to his work.
The new issue represents another chapter in the ongoing collaboration between Berzosa and the Vatican. The Málaga‑born Spanish painter is well known among philatelists for several notable projects: the stamp commemorating Pope Francis’ 80th birthday (2016), the issue marking the golden jubilee of his priestly ordination (2019), as well as the Easter series of 2020, 2022, and 2024. More recently, he created the stamp dedicated to Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina-one of the most influential figures in the history of sacred music-released during the pontificate of Leo XIV.
The new stamp carries a denomination of €1.35 and will be printed in a limited run of 45,000 copies. Production has been entrusted to Bpost (Belgium), using four‑color offset lithography-a technique that ensures high detail and color stability, essential for religious and portrait compositions.
With this issue, the Vatican not only marks an important anniversary but also reaffirms the role of philately as a medium of spiritual expression, cultural memory, and artistic communication. Berzosa’s stamp is yet another example of how the miniature format can convey rich historical, theological, and aesthetic meaning.