The inside of the sheet depicts the mosaic altarpiece, depicting the Baptism of Christ, which can be seen in the Baptism Chapel inside St Peter’s Papal Basilica.

The bottom stamp, at € 3.35, outlines the Baptism scene, while the top stamp, at € 2.90, encloses two angels in contemplation.

Each stamp bears the inscriptions ‘SOVRANO MILITARE ORDINE DI MALTA” and ‘POSTE MAGISTRALI’, the coat of arms of the Order’s activities and the face values ‘€ 2.90’ and ‘€ 3.35’.

The sheet also bears, in the top centre on two lines, the headings ‘SOVRANO MILITARE ORDINE DI MALTA’ and ‘POSTE MAGISTRALI’, the Order’s coat of arms, on the left, and that of its activities, on the right; in the bottom centre, on two lines, the inscription ‘Città del Vaticano, Basilica di San Pietro, Cappella del Battesimo’, ‘Pala d’altare in mosaico raffigurante il Battesimo di Cristo’.

Credits: © Fabbrica di San Pietro in Vaticano.