Sede Vacante

Sede Vacante (translated vacant see) is the period limited by the death or abdication of the Pope and the election of a new Pope. During this period the Vatican Post Office issues a special series of postage stamps which has a uniform motive representing mostly canopy with the crossed keys of St. Peter underneath. This motive was no adhered to in the first such series after the death of Pope Pio XI. in 1939 when the 1929 stamps with the black overprint “SEDE VACANTE MCMXXXIX” were used. In 1978 even two series of stamps were issued when following the death of Pope Paul VI, John Paul I ascended Peter’s see but he held his pontificate for only 33 days. After his sudden death Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, who adopted the name John Paul II, became the supreme pontiff.

Fig. 1 Series of postage stamps issued in 1978 following the death of Pope John Paul l.

Fig.2: Series of postage stamps “Sede Vacante” issued in 2013 following the abdication of Pope Benedict XVI.

Photos used in this article – Private collection of the author.