China: 30th Anniversary of CHINARE - Arctic and Antarctic Expeditions, MV Xue Long

Date of Issue: November 20, 2014
Denomination: 120 fen and 150 fen
Designer: Wang Tao, Jiang Qun
Perforation: 13
Printing process: Offset
Printing House: Liaoning Provincal Postage Stamp Printing Works

The 120 fen stamp represents China's Antarctic research program depicting a map showing locations of China's research stations - Great Wall Station and Zhongshan Station.

The 150 fen stamp represents China's Arctic research program and depicts Yellow River Station and MV Xue Long (Snow Dragon) - ice breaker ship.

MV Xue Long: a Chinese ice-breaking research vessel. Built in 1993 at Kherson Shipyard in Ukraine, she was converted from an Arctic cargo ship to a polar research and re-supply vessel by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding of Shanghai by the mid-90s.

As of 2012, Xuě Lóng is the only Chinese icebreaking research ship in service. A second Chinese polar icebreaker, slightly smaller but more capable than Xuě Lóng, is currently at the design stage and is expected to enter service in 2016.

Text Source: xabusiness.com, wikipedia

Corpus Christi Procession, Austria

Austria: 1993

The above stamp is one from the set of 3 stamps issued in 1993 on topic - Folk Customs and Folklore Treasures

Corpus Christi (Feast):

The Feast of Corpus Christi (Latin for Body of Christ), also known as Corpus Domini, is a Latin Rite liturgical solemnity celebrating the tradition and belief in the body and blood of Jesus Christ and his Real Presence in the Eucharist. It emphasizes the joy of the institution of the Eucharist, which was observed on Holy Thursday in the somber atmosphere of the nearness of Good Friday.

In the present Roman Missal, the feast is designated the solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. It is also celebrated in some Anglican, Lutheran, and Old Catholic Churches that hold similar beliefs regarding the Real Presence.

The feast is liturgically celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday or, "where the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is not a holy day of obligation, it is assigned to the Sunday after the Most Holy Trinity as its proper day". At the end of Holy Mass, there is often a procession of the Blessed Sacrament, generally displayed in a monstrance. The procession is followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

Corpus Christi Flotilla at Lake Hallstatt, Austria:

Hallstatt, in Austria is a small village that had so little space on land, the procession was moved, around 400 years ago, onto the lake on boats and salt ships; not least in order to get a view of the salt mountain, the old workplace of Hallstatt folk for thousands of years.

The holiday begins with a High Mass in the Catholic church. Weather permitting, the procession continues to the colorfully decorated market square to then finally cast off from the shores on the festive "Himmelsfuhre" boat.

Far beyond the borders of Austria, the Hallstatt lake procession is well known, and visitors from all corners of the Earth come to experience this special day in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hallstatt Dachstein Salzkammergut.

Text Source: Wikipedia, im-salzkammergut.at