(ZENIT News / Rome, 11.04.2024).- The Vatican has introduced a bold new mascot, Luce, to engage with younger generations in the upcoming Jubilee Year 2025, a special period of pilgrimage and grace within the Catholic Church. The character, designed by renowned Italian artist Simone Legno, was unveiled on October 28. The cheerful pilgrim, Luce, symbolizes a journey through life’s storms, embodying resilience and hope—qualities central to the Jubilee theme of “Hope Does Not Disappoint.”
Dressed in a bright yellow raincoat with blue hair, muddy boots, and a rainbow-colored rosary, Luce is accompanied by three friends, each named to reflect core values of the Jubilee. Together, Luce, Faith, Xin, and Sky sport the Jubilee’s red, green, and blue colors and represent the diversity of the Church’s global message.
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Vatican Aims to Bridge Generational Gaps through Pop Culture
Luce and her companions are part of a Vatican initiative to tap into contemporary pop culture in order to resonate with younger audiences. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and a lead organizer of the Jubilee, hopes that the mascot’s appearances at events like the Lucca Comics & Games convention in Italy and the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, will allow the Church to connect with youth on topics central to the Jubilee message, such as hope and resilience. He emphasized the Church’s intention to “live within the pop culture beloved by our youth.”
The Jubilee mascot reflects a new approach for the Vatican, aiming to convey messages of hope and inclusion in a style that younger generations recognize. “Through Luce, we hope to foster meaningful dialogue with young people and speak to them about the importance of hope in today’s world,” Fisichella stated.
From Comics to the Vatican: Artist Simone Legno’s Unique Influence
Simone Legno, co-founder of the popular Tokidoki brand, is behind the design of Luce and her friends. Known internationally for his Japanese-inspired artwork, Legno has collaborated with iconic brands like Marvel, Barbie, and Hello Kitty. His career in character design has brought him to the global stage, and he will be representing Italy in the same upcoming Osaka World Expo 2025 through his character Italia Chan, another widely acclaimed design unveiled at Milan Design Week.
Raised in a Catholic family in Rome, Legno spoke of his roots in the press release, expressing his desire for Luce to echo “the feelings and values that resonate with younger generations.” However, Tokidoki has sometimes raised eyebrows for its participation in LGBTQ+ pride initiatives, leading some Catholics to question the choice. Yet for Fisichella and Legno, Luce represents a bridge between faith and the digital age, underscoring the Church’s readiness to speak in the visual language of today’s youth.
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A Continuing Conversation within the Church
This move aligns with other recent Vatican efforts to communicate inclusively, albeit sometimes stirring controversy. In 2022, social media accounts for the Synod on Synodality posted images featuring a person in a rainbow-themed “pride” shirt and another woman dressed as a priest, sparking varied reactions among Catholics. The images prompted Cardinal Mario Grech to emphasize the Church’s role as “a listening church,” suggesting that such imagery aimed to demonstrate openness and dialogue.
As Luce and her companions prepare for a year of symbolism and storytelling, the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee will likely be a test of the Church’s capacity to engage younger audiences and address modern cultural shifts—all while maintaining its core messages of faith, hope, and inclusivity. Through Luce, the Vatican sends a colorful signal: the Church is ready to journey alongside today’s youth, in both faith and culture.
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