150th Anniversary of the Birth of Elena of Savoy

The Montenegrin princess and Italian queen, Elena of Savoy, was born in Cetinje on 8 January 1873, as the sixth child of Prince Nikola Petrović Njegoš and Princess Milena. She married Vittorio Emmanuele III, Prince of Naples and heir to the Italian throne, who ruled as king of Italy from 1900 to 1946.Elena of Savoy always distinguished herself by her humanitarian work. She cared for the wounded during the First World War, treated those injured in the earthquake of Messina in 1908 and took part in numerous humanitarian endeavours.The Catholic Church awarded her the “Golden Rose of Christianity” in 1937, and posthumously declared her a Servant of God.She died in 1952 in Montpellier, France.Montenegro post is issuing a postage stamp and a first day cover as part of a commemorative special edition for the 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Elena of Savoy.