Related Articles
Royal Mail has announced that an original illustration of Liverpool Cathedral will feature as the First Class stamp for its Christmas Special Stamps in 2024.
This year holds additional importance to the city as it marks the centenary of the consecration of the cathedral.
An enlargement of the original artwork used for the stamp was commissioned and will go on display in the cathedral during the festive season.
Royal Mail’s 2024 Christmas stamps feature some of the many spectacular cathedrals in the UK – the remaining four completing the set being: Edinburgh, Armagh, Bangor, and Westminster.
The stamps were illustrated by Penzance-based, British artist, Judy Joel, whose popular paintings have been sold worldwide over the last 50 years.
The Very Revd Dr Sue Jones, Dean of Liverpool, said, “Having always said we are a first-class cathedral we are honoured to be this year’s Christmas First Class stamp. This comes at the end of our centenary year of celebrations and is a magnificent way to mark what has been a tremendous year.
“Royal Mail has chosen a great mix of cathedrals to showcase whilst reflecting the importance that these beautiful places of worship have in so many people’s Christmas traditions.”
Liverpool Cathedral
In 1880, the great port city of Liverpool on England’s northwest coast became a diocese, but it did not have a cathedral. In 1903, the 22-year-old Giles Gilbert Scott (grandson of George Gilbert Scott, the architect of St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh) won a competition to design one and spent his life working on the massive sandstone building overlooking the River Mersey. Consecrated a century ago, in 1924, the cathedral was not completed until 1978. The architectural styles range from the Gothic Revival in the Lady Chapel, consecrated in 1910, to a more pared-down, monumental design, best illustrated by the single central tower, visible for miles.
This is a people’s cathedral, funded by locals through the two world wars. It is the only cathedral in the UK with a war memorial chapel integral to the building design; the memorial was built after the First World War, in which 40,000 Liverpudlians died. In 1908, the Noble Women Window was commissioned, with panels depicting Queen Victoria and noteworthy local women.
Today, together with the nearby Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool Cathedral runs programmes supporting emergency food aid and helping people get back to work, welcoming all regardless of their faith. At Christmas time, visitors were recently greeted by a large-scale light-and-sound artwork illuminating the darkness.
Stamp-by-stamp
St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh
St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, designed by Victorian architect George Gilbert Scott, boldly harks back to upwardly soaring medieval Gothic cathedrals, with its three spires dominating Edinburgh. Consecrated in 1879, St Mary’s is the largest cathedral in Scotland today and maintains the tradition of regular choral worship, never more elaborate than at Christmas.
St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh (Church of Ireland)
The Church of Ireland Cathedral of St Patrick in Armagh traces its origins to a hilltop sanctuary founded by St Patrick, and worship has taken place on this site since the 5th century. At Christmas, the cathedral’s hallowed walls echo with the sound of carols and all find a warm welcome within.
St Deiniol’s Cathedral, Bangor / Cadeirlan Deiniol Sant ym Mangor
Bangor Cathedral stands where St Deiniol established his Celtic monastery in the 6th century. Battered by medieval wars between the princes of Gwynedd and the English kings, the cathedral now celebrates the languages, cultures and landscapes of Wales. Every Sunday and on Christmas Day, Welsh and English coexist in worship and prayer.
Westminster Cathedral, London
Westminster Cathedral is the largest Roman Catholic church in England and Wales and the seat of the Archbishop of Westminster. It was designed by John Francis Bentley in a neo-Byzantine style and built between 1895 and 1903. Candlelit Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve ushers in the celebration of the birth of Christ.
The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to buy from 5 November at www.royalmail.com/christmas2024,
by telephone on 03457 641 641 and 7,000 Post Offices across the UK. A Presentation Pack including all five stamps is priced at £10.35.
Last recommended posting dates for Christmas 2024:
For 2nd Class and 2nd Class Signed For, the last recommended posting date is Wednesday 18 December.
For 1st Class, 1st Class Signed For and Royal Mail Tracked 48, it’s Friday 20 December.
For Royal Mail Tracked 24 the last recommended posting date is Saturday 21 December and for Special Delivery Guaranteed it’s Monday 23 December.
For further information visit: https://www.royalmail.com/christmas/last-posting-dates.
Beware scams and counterfeit stamps:
We also want to remind customers to remain extra vigilant during the festive season. Often at this time of year we see an increase in online scam attempts, as fraudsters look for opportunities to steal money and valuable information from people expecting a delivery. Click here
for some helpful tips on how to determine if an email, text message or phone call is from Royal Mail, and how to report anything suspicious.
Royal Mail has launched a stamp scanner to provide extra reassurance to customers who may be unsure about whether a stamp is counterfeit or not. Customers who download the app can use it to check whether it is a known counterfeit, preventing them from inadvertently becoming victims of fraud.
Image: The Very Revd Dr Sue Jones, Dean of Liverpool
Why not follow birkenhead.news on Facebook, X/Twitter, and Threads? You can also send story ideas or letters to the editor to news@birkenhead.news
