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Saint Andrew Bobola, SJ
(1591-1657)
Martyr of Poland

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Fischer Cp 1071 Andrew Bobola Fischer Cp 1071 special cancel in honor of the first Congress of Catholic Organizations and Movements, June 3, 1994 at the Sanctuary of St. Andrew Bobola
POLAND, 1994, postal card and its special cancel
in honor of the first Congress of Catholic Organizations and Movements, June 3, 1994 at the Sanctuary of St. Andrew Bobola in Warsaw, Fischer catalog Cp 1071

a postal card honoring the stained glass work of Terese Maria Reklewska featuring her portray of Andrew Bobola at his shrine in Warsaw.
POLAND, 2011, a postal card honoring the stained glass work of Terese Maria Reklewska
featuring her portrayal of Andrew Bobola at his shrine in Warsaw.
Her Pelican in its Piety on the imprinted stamp is in the diocesan Church of St. Francis Xavier in Kanda, Tokyo.

Born in Sandomierz in Poland, Andrew Bobola entered the Society of Jesus in 1611 and was ordained 11 years later. After working in Vilnius and Warsaw, he went as a missionary to eastern Poland where the Catholic Church was being persecuted by the Orthodox. He was martyred in 1657 with extreme cruelty. On the tercentenary of his death, Pope Pius XII chose to write an encyclical letter, Invicti Athletae, about him, a most unusual honor.

Solidarity label featuring Bobola Solidarity label featuring Bobola
These are not stamps, but labels, large quantities of which were produced in Poland between 1982 and 1989 to raise money for Solidarity and as a protest against martial law which had been declared by the Communist authorities in Poland. The underground members who issued the stamps risked imprisonment without trial if caught.

A S/S issued by Solidarity in 1985 in honor of Bobola
A souvenir sheet issued by Solidarity in 1985 in honor of Bobola

This propaganda stamp set was issued by the Polish Underground Solidarity Movement  This propaganda stamp honoring Bobola was issued by the Polish Underground Solidarity Movement
In 1986 this propaganda stamp set (TPP Catalog Number Block 51, 334-337) was issued by the Polish Underground Solidarity Movement (Poczta Solidarnosc Mazowsze) protesting martial law that had been declared by the Communist authorities in Poland. If caught the issuers would have been imprisoned without trial. The set depicts four clerics who are martyrs and heroes of Poland: (L to R) St. Wojciech, bishop, St. Stanislaus, bishop, St. Jozafat Kuncewica, archbishop, St. Andrew Bobola, SJ.

special cancel for Bobola's canonization 
POLAND, 1938, special cancel for Bobola's canonization

Cancel mentioning the Church of St. Andrew Bobola, London,
GREAT BRITAIN, 1976, the unveiling of the Polish Podhalanians' Memorial Plate at the Church of St. Andrew Bobola, London, W 12, 17 October 1976 - though not a Jesuit parish, it is named in honor of one.

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