Stamps issue will mark Newman beatification

A SET of stamps will commemorate Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Britain and the beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman.

A "miniature" sheet with two Isle of Man postage stamps featuring Cardinal Newman and a stamp label with a picture of the Pope will be issued on 11 August to coincide with the 120th anniversary of the cardinal's death.

The sheet, a presentation pack and a first-day cover and insert have been produced ahead of the four-day visit of the Pope to Scotland and England between September 16 and September 19.

The sheet wrongly refers to the beatification taking place at Coventry Airport on September 19 as it was printed before the change of venue to Cofton Park, Birmingham.

The commemorative stamps were the idea of Peter Jennings, a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society and press secretary to the Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Rev Bernard Longley.

He said the inclusion of the Coventry Airport venue would add "philatelic interest".

Mr Longley said: "This is the first time that a pope has been welcomed to the UK on a state visit and these stamps highlight the importance of such a visit for the UK and Isle of Man citizens within and beyond the Catholic Church."