Zodiac (1)

“…astrology is like a life-giving elixir for mankind.” (Albert Einstein)

Our planet, the Earth, is part of the solar system comprising several planets whose rotation movement takes place around a central star called Ra, the Sun’s real name. It is a star of a secondary size on a scale of values ranging from 1 to 6 measuring luminosity (the smallest star is the 6 level-star).

The movements of the planets around the Sun are combined with a rotation movement around their own axes. To facilitate the understanding of celestial mechanics system, for astrological reasons, it has been agreed to relate the movements of other celestial bodies to the Earth, since it is a fixed point.

Under this conventional situation, the Sun, the fixed point of our solar system, also describes an apparent movement which, during a calendar year, goes along a way making a full circle and passes by 12 constellations. This route bears the name of ZODIAC, a word derived from zodion, a diminutive of the Greek word zoon (animal). This apparent route of the Sun was scientifically called ecliptic.

The Sun, the Moon and the Planets go along this way of Constellations with different speeds: the Sun in 365 days, the Moon in 28 days, Mercury in 335 days, Venus in 225 days, Mars in one year and 322 days, Jupiter in almost 12 years, Saturn in 29 years, Uranus in almost 84 years, Neptune in 164 years, and Pluto in 247 years.

Based on the knowledge of some exact elements – place, date and time of birth – they extract and decipher elements specific to the personality of the entity born under an astral configuration.

Predictable Astrology establishes precisely the manner in which the person will manifest within a well-determined time period of his existence.

In the European – Chaldean ZODIAC the 12 signs are divided by several criteria among which we mention the followings:

Cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn;

Fixed signs:Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius;

Mutable signs: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces;

Fire signs: Aries, Leo and Sagittarius;

Earth signs: Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn;

Air signs: Gemini, Libra and Aquarius;

Water signs: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces.

Romfilatelia introduces into circulation the postage stamps issue Zodiac I, illustrating the first six signs.

Aries sign is illustrated on the postage stamp with the face value of bani 30. It is a Masculine Cardinal Fire sign, the characteristic metal and stone are iron and amethyst, its energizing colour is red and the dominating verb is “to be”.

Taurus sign is illustrated on the stamp having the nominal value of bani 50. It is a Feminine Fixed Earth sign, the characteristic metal and stone are copper and agate or emerald. It has the energizing colour yellow and the dominating verb is “to have”.

Gemini sign is illustrated on the postage stamp with the face value of bani 60. It is a Masculine Mutable Air sign, the characteristic metal and stone are mercury and opal. It has the energizing colour violet and the dominating verb is “to think”.

Cancer sign is illustrated on the postage stamp with the face value of bani 80. It is a Feminine Cardinal Water sign, the characteristic metal and stone are silver and emerald, black onyx or the Moon Stone. It has the energizing colour green and the dominating verb is “to feel”.

Leo sign is illustrated on the postage stamp with the face value of lei 1.40. It is a Masculine Fixed Fire sign, the characteristic metal and stone are gold and emerald or ruby. It has the energizing colour orange-yellow and the dominating verb is “to want”.

Virgo sign is illustrated on the postage stamp with the face value of lei 14.50. It is a Feminine Mutable Earth sign, the characteristic metal and stone are mercury and pink jasper or hyacinth. It has the energizing colour violet and the dominating verb is “to analyse”.

The drawings reproduced on the postage stamps of the issue and the original thematic engraving, printed in only 350 pieces with author’s holograph signature, belong to the regretted artist and engraver Octavian Ion Penda.

Belonging to the end of the 20th century and to the beginning of 21st century world engravers elite, Octavian Ion Penda remains enrolled in the great artists’ Pantheon as a personality with definite originality in his whole symbolical work of art.

He will last over the years and generations, in our hearts and in the valuable collections of the philatelists as a genius of the Romanian people’s eternal spirituality.

The philatelic document is created into a limited run printing of 250 copies, equipped with the postage stamps of the issue, numbered and cancelled with the “first day” postmark.