Magyar Posta is celebrating Christianity’s most important feast, Easter, by issuing a definitive stamp. The self-adhesive stamp with no value indication bearing the inscription “Domestic”, the accompanying first day cover and the postmark show a 15th-century Gothic chalice owned by the Museum of the Diocese of Székesfehérvár. The stamp was designed by the graphic artist György Kara and produced by Codex Értékpapírnyomda Zrt. The new issue will be available from Filaposta, philately specialist services, certain post offices and Magyar Posta’s online store from 18 March 2025.
Easter is a Christian festival. The New Testament recounts that Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday, the third day after his crucifixion on Friday. By dying on the cross, he redeemed the sins of all people and, by his resurrection, he triumphed over death. Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and is the most important feast in the Christian calendar.
The chiselled, silver gilt, Gothic chalice dating from the 15th century has enamelled panels on its base with neo-Baroque additions. The chalice came from the noted art collector Miklós Jankovich (1772-1846) to the parish of Rácalmás. Ottokár Prohászka, Bishop of Székesfehérvár (1905-1927), had it restored at his own expense and donated the chalice to the local seminary. The Bishop’s generous gesture is regarded as the foundation of the collection of the Museum of the Diocese of Székesfehérvár, which opened in 1938 as the first museum in Hungary to have a diocesan collection. In the interconnecting roundels of the calyx of the chalice, scenes from the life of Jesus are depicted. These are the Annunciation, the Nativity of Jesus and the Adoration of the Magi, followed by Jesus carrying the Cross, Christ standing in his tomb and, completing the series of reliefs, the incredulous Thomas touching the wound on the side of the risen Lord with his hand.
The Easter 2025 stamp features a detail of the relief of Christ standing in his tomb. In the top edge of the sheet of 50 stamps, there is a barcode, while the other edges bear festive greetings in Hungarian, English, German and French. A grid, which was previously removed during printing, aids separating the stamps from the sheet. The sheets of 50 stamps were produced by flexographic printing. The main element of the first day cover and the imprint of the special postmark on it is the whole of the chalice, with radial lines imitating the mystical radiance of the Eucharistic cup around it, and the inscription “Easter”. The chalice has been a symbol of grace, faith and the forgiveness of sins since Christ accepted his Passion and instituted the Eucharist.
