On February 20, 2020, the Italian Post issued a postage stamp in honor of the 110th historic carnival in Pont-Saint-Martin.
The town of Pont-Saint-Martin in the Aosta Valley is small, but rich in carnival traditions that date back to antiquity. Every year the city hosts a festival, during which residents of the city dress in historical costumes and stage theatrical processions and performances.
Designer Fabio Abbati has reflected the local festival and iconic characters on the stamps. On the left - Saint Martin on horseback, on the right - a team of a racing "chariot", in the background an ancient Roman bridge and an angry devil under it, and all this is flooded with reflections of festive fireworks. Each of these plots has its own story.
The Legend of Saint Martin and the Devil
According to legend, on the way to Rome, Saint Martin stopped in a small village in Valle d'Aosta on the banks of the Lis River to spend the night. At night, the river destroyed a small wooden bridge in the village. The villagers dreamed of building a solid stone bridge, but they did not have the money to build it. And then they turned to Saint Martin for help. The saint invited the devil to build a stone bridge across the river. The devil agreed, but in return he demanded the first one to cross the new bridge. Saint Martin agreed, because he was sure that you could outsmart the devil. The delighted devil built an excellent stone bridge in one day and waited for his payment. However, the saint forbade the villagers to enter the bridge; instead, he threw a piece of bread on the other side and a hungry dog immediately ran after him. She turned out to be the first creature to cross the bridge. The devil realized that he was deceived and, in a rage, wanted to destroy the bridge, but Saint Martin placed a cross on it and the devil was forced to leave the village.
The stamps were printed on self-adhesive paper in sheets of 45. Also, the Italian post has prepared a colorfully designed booklet containing a stamp, a quarter block, a first day cover and a postcard. The presentation of the postage stamp and commemorative cancellation took place on February 20, 2020 at the City Hall of Pont-Saint-Martin.
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