Bridges of Vatican City

My first cover from Vatican City with Europa 2018 stamps and an interesting postmark 

The Europa 2018 stamps issued by the Philatelic and Numismatic Office on 3-05-2019, with artwork by artist Stefano Morri, depict Saint Peter and Saint John Nepomuk, the first patron of bridge builders and the second priest and martyr of the 14th Century who suffered torture and cruel punishment in defending the Church, and was thrown alive into the Vltava river. 

Peter was a native of Bethsaida, near Lake Tiberias. He was called Simon before meeting Jesus. He worked as a fisherman with his brother Andrew. Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus, and Jesus called Peter to become a disciple. Peter was at Jesus’s sides at the Transfiguration, the raising of Jairus’ daughter, and the Agony of the Garden of Gethsemane. Peter played a major role in the Passion of Jesus. He helped organize the Last Supper. When Jesus was arrested, Peter cut off the right ear of a slave of the high priest Malchus. Just as Jesus had predicted at the Last Supper, Peter denied Christ three times. After the Resurrection, Peter went to the tomb with the other disciple. The first appearance of the Risen Christ was before Peter, ahead of the other disciples, at Tiberias. Jesus gave to Peter the famous command to lead the new Church, “Feed my lambs…. Tend my sheep…. Feed my sheep”. He is the Patron of Bridge Builders. 

Saint John of Nepomuk is the saint of Bohemia (Czech Republic) who was drowned in the Vltava river at the behest of Wenceslaus, King of the Romans and King of Bohemia. Later accounts state that he was the confessor of the queen of Bohemia and refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional. On the basis of this account, John of Nepomuk is considered the first martyr of the Seal of the Confessional, a patron against calumnies and, because of the manner of his death, a protector from floods and drowning

Two bridges stand in the background: 

“Ponte Sant’Angelo” in Rome, built between 130 and 135 A.D. as an access way to the Mausoleum of Hadrian. 

Ponte Sant'Angelo, once the Aelian Bridge or Pons Aelius, meaning the Bridge of Hadrian, is a Roman bridge in Rome, Italy, completed in 134 AD by Roman Emperor Hadrian, to span the Tiber, from the city center to his newly constructed mausoleum, now the towering Castel Sant'Angelo. The bridge is faced with travertine marble and spans the Tiber with five arches, three of which are Roman; it was approached by means of ramp from the river. The bridge is now solely pedestrian, and provides a scenic view of Castel Sant'Angelo.

 “Charles Bridge” (in Czech, Karlův most) in Prague, a historic stone bridge on the Vltava river linking the old city with the Malá Strana district and considered one of the most famous monuments in the Czech Republic’s capital.

The Postmark 

The postmark was issued for the Pope Francis visit to the United Arab Emirates . The visit is historical as it marks the first ever papal visit to the Arabian Peninsula . The Pope visited the Emirates from 3-5 February 2019 as a show of peace and tolerance ! Amen !! 

Thanks Davide for this beautiful cover !