Document - Greek Junta 1967–1974 - Archbishop Ieronymos I...

A remarkable thematic collection of three complete postal sets from the period of the Greek Junta (1967–1974), consisting of original greeting cards together with their corresponding official envelopes. The collection documents correspondence and Christmas/Easter greetings associated with senior leaders of the Church of Greece during the early years of the military regime. Two of the cards bear handwritten greetings and signatures of prominent Orthodox bishops of the period. The lot includes: 1. Archbishop Ieronymos I – Christmas 1967 A large and elegant folding greeting card, approximately 20 × 11 cm, produced on high-quality paper. The front features an embossed double-headed eagle with royal crown in gold, characteristic of the official visual style used on formal ecclesiastical correspondence of the period. Inside is a handwritten Christmas message and signature of Archbishop Ieronymos I (Ieronymos Kotsonis), dated Christmas 1967. Ieronymos I became Archbishop of Athens and All Greece in 1967 and was the senior ecclesiastical figure of the Church of Greece during the early years of the Junta. This is the principal piece of the collection and an interesting contemporary handwritten document from the first year of his archiepiscopate. 2. Metropolitan Leonidas of Thessaloniki – 1970 A complete postal set, consisting of the original greeting card, approximately 12 × 9.5 cm, together with its original addressed envelope. The card bears printed official decoration incorporating the royal crown and contains handwritten greetings and the signature of Metropolitan Leonidas (Paraskevopoulos) of Thessaloniki. The envelope was genuinely sent through the postal system and retains a clearly legible: “THESSALONIKI 12.I.70” postmark, together with a contemporary 1.50 drachma stamp depicting Saint Demetrius. The combination of the handwritten signature, original card, postal markings and period stamp makes this an especially interesting piece for collectors of Greek postal history and modern Greek ecclesiastical history. 3. Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messenia – 1967 A complete postal set consisting of the original greeting card and envelope, approximately 12 × 9.5 cm. The card bears printed official decoration and a handwritten signature of Metropolitan Chrysostomos (Themelis) of Messenia. The original envelope retains its printed address, the Kalamata postal cancellation and contemporary postage stamp. Historical Context The three items date from 1967–1970, during the early period of the Greek military dictatorship, commonly known as the Greek Junta of 1967–1974. They provide a small but tangible record of the official visual culture, correspondence and personal handwriting of senior figures of the Church of Greece during this politically significant period. The collection is of interest to collectors of: Greek modern history The Greek Junta / 21 April 1967 period Orthodox Church history Ecclesiastical ephemera Autographs and handwritten documents Greek postal history Historical correspondence and greeting cards Condition Overall condition is Very Fine (VF) for age. The cards retain their original printed decoration, handwriting and signatures, while the postal envelopes preserve their period stamps and postal cancellations. There may be minor age-related handling/storage imperfections. Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the description. Contents of the Lot 1 × Archbishop Ieronymos I Christmas card, 1967 1 × Metropolitan Leonidas of Thessaloniki card + original mailed envelope, 1970 1 × Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messenia card + original envelope, 1967 Total: 3 historical postal sets.

Estimate:£0.85

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