New Britain herald., 1928-12-01
Secluded MONKS
Shown ON STAMPS
Views Of Ancient MoDisttri8
Revealed BY Postage

venerable friers and nuns to retire |
from the world. but they have not
been able to hide themselves from |
the designers OF postage stamps who |
have selected monasteries and monks
for numerous pictures to occupy en-
>elope corners and carry letters 10 |
their destinations. No less than four |
prominent cIerics Of the days when |
monastic orders were being formed
and were at their height are shown
on one series of four Italian stamps
issued a few years ago to commem-
crate an anniversary of the founding
of the Society for the Propagation
of the Faith. This society was Or
ganized to carry out the request OF
Jesus for his followers to fare into
the world and spread the gospel.
St. Domenico Is one OF these. He
was Spaniard who. In the 18th
century, was commissioned TO preach
among the Albigensian Protestants
of southern France. In 1915 he found
the order of Dominicans, sometimes
called the Preaching FrArs, for the
VI INV 'NoNHih6' VI WV
Christian church. This order subse-
aueutly became an educational one
and produced many famous scholars
from its ranks. The Dominicans
practice rigid self discipline, holding
midnight services. fasting for long
periods. abstaining from meat en-
tirely, and practicing complete ei-
lence.
Found Mails On Hands
On another stamp Of the same set
is portrayed the greatest OF all the
founders of orders. St Francis Of As
sisi. Born in 11S2 in Italy. Francis
was in early life a soldier. but he
soon disappeared from the circle of
his friends and gave himself to the
lepers and the hospitals, later found
ing the Franciscan order to carry on
his work. On Mount Alverno one day
Francis is said to have seen a vision
of a serdph on a cross. after which
he found the "stigmata" on his
hands. These are marks like those
of nails and are supposed to have a
relation with the crucifixion. The
mental and stiritual turmoil through
which Francis went on Mount Al
\crno weakened him and he died
two years later. Italy and San Ma
rino have issued special sets OF
stamps in honor OF him. These show.
among other scenes, the vision on the
mountain and the s;;int's death. The
Tranciscans became an educational
order and were Influential among
the Indians in this country.
There was another st. Francis in
the 10th century. He was likewise
an Italian and was the son OF rich
parents. He b4ctme bishop OF Ge-
ne>a after magnificent evangelical
work. lie is the third honored by
Italy OF the Propagation Of the
tai,n" stamps.
The fourth one is ST. Teresa. who
lived in the 18th century. She was
d Spaniard. and. like so many other
SAINTS. saw strange visions. These led
her 10 found an order of Bare.
loots."
Even the Fish Listened
One OF the greatest evangelists of
the Roman Catholic church was s.
Anthony OF Padua. who was honored
by Portugal with a series of stamps
in 1897. five hundred years after his
death. The stamps show various pic
lures Of the saint including one Of
him surrounded by angels, but the
quAinte;t is one portraying him as
standing on the scashore and preach
ing 10 the fish in the ocean. He Is
said to have been such a fine speak
er that even these tiny denizcns OF
the deep listened in rapture to his
words. On the backs of these stamps
in blue TYPOGRAPHY. Is found a Latin
inscription which may be translated.
20, blessed tongue, which always
praised the Master and taught others
to praise him, now it is clearly evil
dent how deserving you were in the
sight of God"
A number of monasteries are
shown on postage stamps. These
were the seats OF what little learn
ing there was during the Middle
and recopied the manuscripts OF an
cicnt authors. handing them on 10
posterity. What little education there
was centered about training for re-
lisious orders. and so these mons s.
teries became the schools of the
time. 1t was in the monastery of La
Eabida that Christopher Columbus
found shelter and consolation dur.
ing the dark years when monarchs
were refusing to finance his project
cd voyage, and United States
stamps. issued In 1898 to comment
crate the discovery OF America and
the Columbian exposition. shows
the navigator at La Eahila. Two
other monasteries are found on Bull
garian stamps issued IN 1911.
No WOn,8n's Land
One OF the most unusual monas-
tories in the world. that Of Mount
Aihos, is found on the present Issue
of Greece. This was founded in the
ninth century on high pinnacl" Of
rock. The monks in il remained there
for life. The only intercourse with
the world was by way OF q basket
on rope which was hoisted up and
lot down the cliff walls. IN this the
monks We're taken III and in il their
food was brought TO them The priv
l|'g"S of this monastery were re-
sp"ct"h oven l.. the Turks. and II
remained as A bit OF the Middle
Ages amid modern surroundings
right Mp TO the present era. when
Dictator Fangalos ended its isolation
No women We're allowed within its
precincts. and the ban was extended
10 everything female. No fems lie ami
mails were kept or brought in. and
the x,annLs n.at, mont ca e. 20 q