of the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 9, 2023. PHOTO: Yevhen Kotenko / Avalon / Profimedia
The Vatican on Thursday released a new postage stamp honoring Catholics in Ukraine, with a drawing depicting Kiev's cathedral during a blackout, an unusually direct reference to the daily struggles of Ukrainians during the war.
Although the Vatican Postal Service frequently issues stamps to mark Catholic holidays or honor national churches, it usually avoids any political references in its designs, preferring depictions of religious figures such as the saints of the respective areas.
The new stamp, issued in the week marking four years since the start of the Russian invasion, shows the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kiev, darkened by the blackout, but backlit by the orange glow of the evening sky.
Blackouts have become a common experience across Ukraine as Russian forces constantly target the power grid, power plants and other energy infrastructure with missiles and drones.
Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the leader of Ukraine's four million Eastern Rite Catholics, said at an event held at the Vatican to unveil the postage stamp that its launch was “a great moment of consolation”.
“We really feel embraced by the Holy See for this special attention to our history, to our life at this tragic time of war,” Shevchuk said, speaking in Italian.
The Vatican stamp was released to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the restoration of the Catholic Diocese of Kyiv after the fall of the Soviet Union and the 12th anniversary of the construction of the cathedral.
The Vatican has unveiled a new postage stamp honoring Ukraine's Catholics, featuring a striking image of Kyiv's Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ during a blackout. #stamp #philately #Ukraine #Italy #Vatican #resurrection #Catholics #religion pic.twitter.com/lUr3D5Lafw
— Ukrainian Hub (@UkrainianH8125) February 26, 2026
“Center of Resistance”
Kiev Cathedral also served as an air raid shelter during the war. Shevchuk called it a “centre of resistance”.
About 10% of Ukrainians belong to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which follows Eastern rites but recognizes the authority of the pope and is in communion with Rome. Most Ukrainians are Orthodox.
On Sunday, Pope Leo made an impassioned appeal for peace in Ukraine, saying the end of the war with Russia “cannot be postponed”. The United States is trying to broker a peace deal between Moscow and Kiev, but so far without success.
Tens of thousands of tourists visit the Vatican every day. Many buy stamps from Vatican post offices, including St. Peter's Square, often to send postcards home.
The new postage stamp has a value of 1.35 euros ($1.60), the cost of delivering a standard-sized letter to destinations across Europe. The Vatican, a small sovereign state in Rome, has maintained an independent postal service since 1929.
