to mark the eighth Centenary of the death of Saint Francis of Assisi, which took place on 3 October 1226, and the feast day of the Saint, celebrated annually on 4 October, the Sovereign Military Order of Malta has issued a stamp in a sheet, in conjunction with the Vatican City State, the Italian Republic and the Republic of San Marino.

The sheet depicts ‘Il commiato di Santa Chiara dalle spoglie di San Francesco’ (Saint Francis Mourned by Saint Clare), the twenty-third of the twenty-eight scenes in the cycle of frescoes depicting the ‘Storie di San Francesco’ in the Basilica superiore of Assisi, traditionally attributed to Giotto.

In the top left-hand corner, the concluding verses of Saint Francis’ ‘Cantico delle Creature’ are reproduced, dedicated to ‘sora nostra Morte corporale‘ (our Sister, Bodily Death). The entire Cantico has been divided into four sections, each appearing on one of the four participating postal administrations’ issues, allowing the entire work to be reconstructed by bringing together all four stamps.

The sheet also bears, at the top centre across two lines, the inscription “SAN FRANCESCO D’ASSISI” “800 ANNI DALLA SCOMPARSA”, on the left-hand side, vertically across two lines, “SOVRANO MILITARE ORDINE DI MALTA – CITTÀ DEL VATICANO – ITALIA – SAN MARINO” and “EMISSIONE CONGIUNTA”. Finally, at the bottom centre is the caption “Giotto, Storie di san Francesco: Il commiato di santa Chiara dalle spoglie di san Francesco – Assisi, Basilica superiore di San Francesco” and immediately below, on the left, the Order’s coat of arms with the inscriptions “SOVRANO MILITARE ORDINE DI MALTA” and “POSTE MAGISTRALI”.

The stamp contained in the sheet focuses, in particular, on the central scene of the issue and depicts Saint Clare embracing the remains of Saint Francis. Inside are the inscriptions “SOVRANO MILITARE ORDINE DI MALTA” and “POSTE MAGISTRALI”, the caption “SAN FRANCESCO D’ASSISI” “800 ANNI DALLA SCOMPARSA”, the coat of arms representing the Order’s activities and the face value “€ 1.35”.

Credits: Courtesy of the Photographic Archive of the Sacred Convent of Saint Francis, Assisi. Text of “Cantico delle Creature” from Fonti Francescane, EFR-Editrici Francescane, Padua 20113 (§ 263).