Sovereign Military Hospitaller
Order of St John of Jerusalem of
Rhodes and of Malta

Saints and Blessed of the Order of Malta. Santa Toscana

On sale Yes
Face value Complete set 7,95 € ; Souvenir sheet 4,05 €
Stamp description

the four stamps bear images of Santa Toscana who, left a widow in 1318, gave all she had to the poor and devoted herself, in the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, to caring for the sick, dying in Verona on 14 July 1343. In particular:

the € 1.20 stamp bears a detail of the late 17th-century oil on canvas Venetian painting Translation of the body of Santa Toscana, kept in the headquarters of the Verona Delegation of the Sovereign Order of Malta;

the € 1.25 stamp depicts the main chapel of the Church of Santa Toscana in Verona, headquarters of the Sovereign Order of Malta Delegation;

the € 2.40 stamp depicts the urn of Santa Toscana, late 14th century, in the right side chapel of the Church of Santa Toscana in Verona;

the € 3.10 stamp bears a detail of the late 15th-century painting La Maddalena between St. Caterina and St.Tuscana by Liberale da Verona, in the Church of St. Anastasia in Verona.

Each stamp bears the writing “SOVRANO MILITARE ORDINE DI MALTA” and “POSTE MAGISTRALI”, the legend “Santa Toscana”, the coat-of arms of the Order’s activities and the face value, respectively € 1.20, € 1.25, € 2.40 and € 3.10.

The entire surface of the sheet has the triptych Santa Toscana between St. John the Baptist and St. Peter by Liberale da Verona dating back to the early 16th century, placed in the right side chapel of the Church of Santa Toscana in Verona. The central part, with the representation of Santa Toscana, has perforation on all sides to constitute the stamp. Inside is the writing “SOVRANO MILITARE ORDINE DI MALTA” and “POSTE MAGISTRALI”, the coat-of arms of the Order’s activities and the face value € 4.05. On the centre top of the souvenir sheet, “SOVRANO MILITARE ORDINE DI MALTA POSTE MAGISTRALI” is written on two lines, flanked by the coat of arms of the Order of Malta’s activities. Immediately under the triptych is the legend on two lines “LIBERALE DA VERONA, SANTA TOSCANA TRA I SANTI GIOVANNI BATTISTA E PIETRO, INIZI DEL XVI SECOLO, VERONA, CHIESA DI SANTA TOSCANA”.

Date of issue 23 March 2023.
Face values € 1.20, € 1.25, € 2.40, € 3.10 (set) and € 4.05 (souvenir sheet).
Size 40 x 52 mm and 52 x 40 mm (set) and 28 x 45 (souvenir sheet).
Perforation 13 (set) and 13 ½ x 13 ¼ (souvenir sheet).
Souvenir sheet size 100 x 130 mm.
Print run five thousand stamps for each subject (set) and three thousand numbered souvenir sheets.
Stamp sheet 9 stamps.
Printed by Cartor Security Printing, La Loupe, Francia, in offset.