Gozo Philatelic Society (GPS) vice president Anthony Grech has been commissioned by the Immaculate Conception confraternity of St Francis church in Victoria to produce a special postal cancellation rubber stamp to mark the 175th anniversary of the processional statue of the Immaculate Conception.

The personalised stamps feature the statue of the Immaculate Conception and St Francis church. The statue was sculpted in wood by Salvatore Psaila (1798-1871) in Birkirkara. Over the years, the statue underwent several interventions to preserve its original beauty.

The original convent and church of St Francis date back to 1492. The original church was dedicated to St Mark. The name was changed in 1535 to that of St Francis. The present church and convent were mostly built in the 17th century. The church was completed in 1663. 

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