In good time, CTT Correios de Portugal (Portuguese Postal Operator) issued three sets of stamps on the Route of the Cathedrals of Portugal. The last series of eight cathedrals is now concluded, totalling 26 stamps. A stamp is much more than a postage rate that gets a letter to its destination. It is a small work of art that teaches us about history or any other branch of knowledge, marking important dates, events and personalities, which are well worth noting. This stamp collection evokes over more than eight centuries of the history of Portugal.
The first cathedral pictured is the Sé Patriarcal de Lisboa (Lisbon Cathedral), whose construction started in 1147, shortly after the conquest of the city by king Afonso Henriques. The final and most recent one, inaugurated/dedicated already in the 21st century, in 2001, is that of Bragança, in the north-eastern region of Trás-os-Montes. The other cathedrals depicted on these stamps are: the Cathedral of Évora (the Basilica of Our Lady of Assunção), started in 1186; the Cathedral of Setúbal (Santa Maria da Graça), from the thirteenth century; the ancient Cathedral of Bragança, completed in 1561, which was the church of the Jesuit College; the Cathedral of Miranda do Douro, started in 1552, with the city being elevated to episcopal see in 1545; the Cathedral of Beja (São Tiago Church), from the sixteenth century; and the Cathedral of Elvas (Church of Our Lady of Assunção), also from the sixteenth century.
The word cathedral comes from 'cathedra', where the Bishop exercises his mission of teaching according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There he receives and assembles the congregation, in the mother church of the diocese, as the Good Shepherd. As already stated by St. Ignatius of Antioch, in the early second century, "where the Bishop is, so must be the community; just as where Jesus Christ is, so should be the Catholic Church". The Cathedral is the diocese’s 'meeting point' for the people of God and its bishop. In cathedrals we can find works of art, sometimes treasures that define an era and immortalize their authors. But a cathedral is much more than a museum. It is a living story of faith, home to the family of believers in Christ, perfect God and perfect man. It is also a space open to all, because the heart of Christ has no borders – it is maximally welcoming and inclusive. This collection of stamps featuring Portuguese cathedrals is an invitation to pay a visit, whether as believers, lovers of art and history, or simply as curious tourists. Those who visit them exercise fraternity with the thousands of men and women who have been going there for centuries to celebrate their faith, to come together in worship and as a culture, becoming enchanted by the works of art. I warmly congratulate CTT Correios de Portugal on bringing to our home the art and history of the cathedrals of our country, in a bonsai - as a miniature, in a stamp.
