Hellenic Post comes bearing beautiful philatelic gifts of history and art this year. 2022 starts off with a set celebrating Greece’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. With 18 currently on the list and 14 under consideration, it must have been a trial picking just 4 to showcase. A fresco, a mosaic, statues and architecture all take a turn in the limelight.

History lovers will be treated to more great stamps courtesy the annual EUROPA and EUROPMED competitions. Both have killer themes. EUROPA 2022 covers Local Myths and Legends and EUROMED Marine Archeology. Oh, where to start with so much to choose from? Greece is one entire heritage site!

For fans of number play, don’t miss the February 02/22/2022 set. It’s a playful bit of fun for February 2, 2022. And check out the excellent cancel the Greek post office created for the day.

Last year featured a number of stamps celebrating the bicentennial of Greek Independence. 5 separate sets were created including The Revolution of 1821 Through the Eyes of Children, which was, hands down, the best set of the series.

Long-time Hellenic Post designer Theano Venieri incorporated artwork from 4 children in this unusual series. Venierri used a light hand in designing the set, allowing the children’s work to shine. So, will Hellenic Post have more like this for us? Not this year, alas. That was a special competition run for the anniversary of the Greek Revolution. As I said last year, more like this would be appreciated.  Having children help in the design of stamps is an excellent way of creating a new generation of both designers and collectors. You can see the stamps & FDCs here The Wonderful Greek 2021 stamp program.  

2022 is a fascinating mix of modern Greece interwoven with its deep cultural and historical roots condensed down into creative stamps and cancels. Enjoy this offering from Greece. I hope you enjoy reading about them as much as I love writing about them.

Cheers
Catpaw

February

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

4 stamps, 2 FDCs, cancel, numbered album, FDC folder
offset lithography

4 Greek UNESCO heritage sites are highlighted:

• Ancient Aigai (Vergina) – first capital of the Kingdom of Macedonia. Image shows “fresco from the Museum of the Royal Tombs entitled “Abduction of Persephone by Hades (ca.350BC)”  Archaeological Site of Aigai (modern name Vergina) – UNESCO World Heritage Centre
• Heraion of Samos – image shows “Constitution of Geneleus (560 – 550 BC), which is a layout of statues depicting a family, one of the best examples of archaic art” Pythagoreion and Heraion of Samos – UNESCO World Heritage Centre
• Ancient Tiryns – image shows “vaulted gate on the Acropolis of Tiryns, from a lithograph of the Collection of the Gennadius Library” Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns – UNESCO World Heritage Centre
• Nea Moni of Chios – image on stamp “mosaic representation of Archangel Michael, which adorns the quadrant of the apse of the Prosthesis in the Katholikon of Nea Moni of Chios.” Monasteries of Daphni, Hosios Loukas and Nea Moni of Chios – UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Release date: February 3, 2022

Amateur Radio in Greece

4 stamps in booklet form
offset polychromy

Designer: Helen Alexander

Release date: February 15, 2022

02/22/2022 

1 stamp with label, FDC, cancel 
2022 copies issued

Release date: February 22, 2022

March

Children and Stamps – Children and Road Safety

4 stamps, 2 FDCs, cancel, pack

Designer: Anthoula Lynx 

Release date: March 29, 2022 **NOTE: release date has been changed from the planned 24th because of a cyber attack on ELTA.

Traveling in Greece – Santorini & Crete

 2 booklets of 10 stamps

Release date: March 29, 2022 **NOTE: release date has been changed from the planned 24th because of a cyber attack on ELTA. 

April 

The Marbles of the Parthenon

4 stamps, booklet of 4, 4 FDCs, cancel, presentation pack
lithography

Designer: Myrsini Vardopoulou

Release date: April 14, 2022

May 

EUROPA 2022 – Stories and Myths

2 stamps, 1 FDC, cancel, presentation packs

Orpheus 

Orpheus was a musician and poet who is called the “father of songs”.  Part of the Orpheus myth has him travelling with Jason and the Argonauts when they went in search of the Golden Fleece. During the voyage, when they encountered the Sirens, Orpheus played his lyre to drown out their seductive singing. As a result the Argo didn’t come to a grisly end.  

There are many more myths surrounding Orpheus and his travels, including a trip to the underworld in a failed attempt to rescue his wife, Eurydice. He mourned her death for the rest of his life.  He was eventually killed by the Maenads, followers of the god Dionysus, who was jealous of Orpheus’ devotion to Apollo.

The two stamps depict Orpheus’ death. In the first stamp, the Maenads are attacking Orpheus. In the second, Orpheus is defending himself, but still playing his lyre. According the mythology, his head was torn from his body and thrown in the water.  It continued singing as it was swept away. Eventually the head and lyre  washed up on the shore of the island of Lesbos, where the people built the Oracle of Orpheus to house his remains.

Even in his death, Orpheus continued to sing and prophesize the future. Eventually Apollo told the people of Lesbos to take all of Orpheus’ body parts and bury them under Mount Olympus. It was then that Orpheus was allowed to rest and able to join his beloved wife Eurydice in the Fields of the Blessed.

Orpheus • Facts and Information on the Greek Hero Orpheus (greekgodsandgoddesses.net)

Designer: Myrsini Vardopoulou

Release date: May 12, 2022

June

Geoparks of Greece – World Environment Day

5 stamps, 2 FDCs, cancel, presentation pack

 5 new parks have been added to the UNESCO Global Geoparks list

• Chelmos Vouraikos UNESCO Global Geopark in the Peloponnese, 
• Lesvos Island UNESCO Global Geopark in the Aegean, 
• Psiloritis UNESCO Global Geopark & Sitia UNESCO Global Geopark in Crete
• Vikos – Aoos UNESCO Global Geopark in Epirus 
  Greece’s UNESCO Global Geoparks (greeknewsagenda.gr)

5 Gorgeous Greek Geoparks in UNESCO List (greeknewsagenda.gr)

Designer: Eleni Apostolou

Release date: June 5, 2022

July

EUROMED 2022 – Marine Archeology and Ancient Cities of the Mediterranean

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2 stamps, mini sheet, FDC, cancel, booklet, numbered set

Amphora from the ancient shipwreck Peristera Alonissos
EG | Shipwreck of Peristera (Marine Attraction) [MAGNISSIA, ALONNISSOS] (exploring-greece.gr)

The famous shipwreck, which is considered one of the most important in classical antiquity due to the large number of intact finds, was discovered in 1985 by a fisherman from Alonissos, near the western rocky coastline of Peristera, at a depth of 28 meters.

It was a large merchant ship of that time, probably an Athenian vessel, which is estimated to have run into very stormy weather and sank there around 425 BC. The ship seems to have been loaded with thousands of wine amphorae from Peparithos (today’s Skopelos) and Mendi (the ancient city of Halkidiki), two areas well known in antiquity for their excellent wine. Peristera Shipwreck In Alonissos Opens To Divers On June 1 (greekcitytimes.com)

Designer: Mariana Lasithiotaki
Photo: Matteo Collina from Università della Calabria, UNICAL

Release date: July 11, 2022

100 Years of AHEPA

1 stamp on a souvenir sheet, FDC, cancel, numbered set 

American Helllenic Education Progressive Association

Designer: Theano Venieri

Release date: July 26, 2022

September

First urban Refugee Settlements

4 stamps, 4 FDCs, cancel, numbered set

This set is issued on the anniversary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe 1919-1922 that sparked a massive refugee movement.

Greece to Mark 100th Anniversary of the Asia Minor Catastrophe (greekreporter.com)

Only ruins left in Smyrna: Remembering the genocide of Greeks in Asia Minor | by Hellenic Leaders | Medium

What happened to the survivors of the 1923 Asia Minor Catastrophe? – Hellenic News of America

Designer: Myrsini Vardopoulou

Release date: September 14, 2022

October 

World Postal Day  

4 stamps, 4 FDCs, cancel, numbered set

Designer: Anthoula Lynx

Release date: October 6, 2022

Memories of Asia Minor
Commemorative post mark

Special post mark to commemorate the Asia Minor Catastrophe

Release date: October 9, 2022

November

50 YEARS OF FEAGRINI  

Commemorative postmark

Release date: November 5, 2022

Christmas 2022

4 stamps, souvenir sheet, 2 FDCs, cancel, 2 booklets of stickers, numbered set

Designer: Anthoula Lynx

Release date: November 10, 2022

Say Stop Child Abuse

4 stamps on souvenir sheet, cancel

Designer: Theano Venieri

Release date: November 19, 2022

40 Years of HELEMPA

4 stamps, FDC, cancel, leaflet

Designer: Theano Venieri 

Release date: November 27, 2022

If you enjoyed looking over the 2022 Greek stamps, wander over to the 2021 season. 

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