Pope John Paul II was known for his many journeys. In the early years it could almost be likened to barnstorming with up to 8 events a day. Todays much older Popes try for a less tiring two audiences a day while traveling. Keeping the operation smooth so His Eminance can achieve his goals sometimes proves difficult. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult berverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
The image chosen for this stamp marking the 10 hour 1985 visit to the Liechtenstein is quite traditional with well scrubbed children in folk attire receiving an audience and blessing. It does not display the issue of the trip, whether abortion restrictions should be abandoned.
Todays stamp is issue A236, a 500 Lira stamp issued by Vatican City on October 27th, 1987. It was an 8 stamp issue in various denominations marking trips Pope John Paul II had made in 1985 and 1986. According to the Scott catalog. the stamp is worth 40 cents used.
A Papal visit is planned several years in advance. The process starts with an invitation from both the country and the local Catholic church. In this case the invitation was accepted, Liechtenstein was a traditional, 85 percent Catholic country that had only just gave women the right to vote. There was a worry that via a referendum the rules against abortion would be liberalized. The Pope thus decided to visit and make the arguement for keeping the standards.
A Vatican team of about 15 than makes a pre visit to prioritize the possible events and map out the logistics. On this trip the Pope had special audiences with Catholic youth and the Royal Family. 20 staffers including 6 security agents were part of the Pope’s entourage. They also made room for about 30 journalist.
This was in some ways a strange visit. The entire country had only 26,000 people at the time. The crowds at the Papal events were estimated at over 30,000. It was also a country with a very high standard of living and little poverty. It was estimated that there were 6 unemployed among the workforce of 16,000. The Pope threaded the line carefully acknowledging the achievement while displaying concern that wealth can led to apostasy.
The abortion restrictions in Liechtenstein were the strictest in Europe. It was only allowed in cases of extreme medical distress of the mother or in cases of rape where the victim is below the age of 14. Violating the rules would result in 2 years in jail and loss of medical license by the doctor and one year in jail for the mother. Those that advocated changing the law estimated that 50 women and girls a year crossed the border to obtain a legal, safe abortion.
Pope John Paul II made some of his most direct statements against abortion in Liechtenstein. He described abortion as a repulsive crime and urged people to save the unborn human from the threat of the born man who would usurp the unborn’s rights by killing in the womb. He further said it was the duty of Christian politicians to stand up for the teachings of the Church which he pledged would never change. He received a pledge from then Prince Regent Hans Adam to veto an unCatholic outcome in any referendum.
It was thought at the time the referendum to change the abortion law would come very soon. In fact, it did not come until 2011 when a referendum to allow abortion up to 13 weeks and in cases where the child will have a disability was defeated with 52 percent against. The Prince Regent, by then Alois, did not have to use his veto. He said he would have.
Well my drink is empty. Come again on Monday when there will be another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.