As the 2025 Jubilee approaches, the Vatican has unveiled an animated mascot named Luce, which means "light" in Italian. This initiative aims to capture the attention of a younger audience and guide them throughout this holy year.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, in charge of organizing this jubilee, explained that Luce is part of the Vatican's efforts to draw closer to popular culture, which is particularly favored by younger generations. This mascot will be unveiled at Lucca Comics and Games, a landmark event in Italy dedicated to comics, video games, and fantasy. For the first time, a Vatican dicastery will participate in a comic book convention, and the space dedicated to Luce will be titled "Luce and Her Friends."
The initiative to participate in this event aligns with Fisichella's desire to reach young people with themes of hope, an essential message of the Gospel. Dressed in a yellow raincoat, muddy boots, and carrying a pilgrim's cross, Luce's mission is to guide young pilgrims toward hope and faith, accompanied by her faithful dog Santino. Her sparkling eyes recall the scallop shell, a symbol of the pilgrim's journey.
During a press conference at the Vatican on October 28, the archbishop described Luce's bright eyes as "a symbol of the hope of the heart." Furthermore, Luce will represent the Holy See's pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, where she will embody the Vatican pavilion's theme: "Beauty Brings Hope." For this event, the famous painting by Caravaggio, "The Entombment of Christ," will be temporarily loaned by the Vatican Museums.
The mascot was designed by Simone Legno, co-founder of the pop culture brand tokidoki. With her pilgrim friends—Fe, Xin, and Sky, all wearing colorful jackets—Luce sports a sailor's yellow raincoat, symbolizing both the Vatican flag and navigating through life's storms. Her muddy boots testify to a long, difficult journey, while her staff represents the path to eternity.
It is, to say the least, troubling to note that Simone Legno, the creator of the Vatican mascot Luce, is also behind products that are not in harmony with Catholic values. Indeed, this designer collaborated with the brand Lovehoney to produce a line of vibrators, among which are designs adorned with provocative images, including a small devil.
His brand, tokidoki, is not limited to innocent creations; it has also partnered with famous entities like Karl Lagerfeld and Hello Kitty, while displaying explicit support for LGBT during Pride Month celebrations in 2023. This mix of pop culture and sensuality raises serious questions regarding the Vatican's decision to associate with an artist whose work includes elements deemed vulgar.
The Church could have called upon a Catholic artist, capable of designing a mascot or even a saint, to better represent the richness and depth of the Christian faith. It is legitimate to wonder if such a collaboration truly serves the image of the Vatican and its values.
Legno, a passionate fan of Japanese pop culture, however, expressed his hope that Luce might resonate in the hearts of younger generations. He also thanked the Dicastery for Evangelization for opening its doors to popular culture.
The jubilee is a holy year of grace and pilgrimage in the Catholic Church, typically celebrated every 25 years, although the pope can call for extraordinary jubilees, as was the case for the Year of Mercy in 2016 or the Year of Faith in 2013.
In preparation for this jubilee year, the Vatican has planned various cultural events, including a concert on November 3 featuring Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 and an exhibition of Marc Chagall's "White Crucifixion," which will be displayed at the Museo del Corso in Rome from November 27 to January 27.
The jubilee will begin with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica on December 24, 2024, welcoming nearly 30 million pilgrims until January 6, 2026.
Everything you need to know about the Jubilee: