| Description : The coin celebrating the Year for Priests
2009 which was proclaimed on the 150th anniversary of the death of Jean‐Marie Vianney (1786‐1859). Vianney,
called the Curé of Ars (pastor of Ars), was a Catholic priest who devoted himself to his ministry. He has been
the patron saint of priests since his canonisation in 1929. It motif depicts a shepherd (symbolizing a priest) who snatches
a lamb from the mouth of a lion ‐ a good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (John 10, 11). In
David and Goliath we read that the servant who tended his father's sheep killed a lion who stole a sheep from the
flock and saved the sheep from its death (1 Samuel 17, 34‐35). Above is the name of the issuing country
"CITTÀ DEL VATICANO" (Vatican City), below is the reason for the commemoration "ANNO SACERDOTALE" (Year for Priests)
and on the left "2010". Below is the letter "R" the mint mark of the Italian mint Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello
Stato in Rome. On the right are the logos "VEROI" of the designer Guido Veroi and "E.L.F. INC." (INC. =
Incisore / Engraver) of the engraver Ettore Lorenzo Frapiccini. |
