The mascot is part of the Vatican's hope to interact with "popular culture favored by young people."

Author: Courtney Mares

Translation: Deep Tide TechFlow

Ahead of the 2025 Jubilee, the Vatican has introduced a cartoon mascot, officially unveiled on Monday, as a joyful symbol for the upcoming Catholic Holy Year.

The mascot, named Luce—which means "light" in Italian—is designed to attract a young audience and guide visitors during the Jubilee.

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who is responsible for organizing the Jubilee, stated that the mascot is part of the Vatican's desire to engage with "popular culture favored by young people."

This week, the mascot will make its debut at the renowned Lucca Comics and Games convention in Italy, where the Vatican's Dicastery for Evangelization will set up a dedicated area for "Luce and Friends."

This will be the Vatican's first participation in a comic convention. Fisichella, who serves as the new director of the Dicastery for Evangelization, expressed his hope that by participating in this comic convention, "we can discuss the theme of hope with the younger generation, which is more important than ever in the Gospel message."

Luce wears a yellow raincoat, muddy boots, and carries a pilgrim's cross. Her mission is to lead young pilgrims toward hope and faith, accompanied by her loyal dog, Santino. The shells sparkling in her eyes evoke the scallop shells of the Camino de Santiago, a symbol of the pilgrimage.

At a Vatican press conference on October 28, Fisichella spoke next to a plastic model of Luce, describing her bright eyes as "a symbol of hope in the heart."

He mentioned that Luce will also represent the Vatican pavilion at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan, where she will be showcased alongside Caravaggio's painting "The Burial of Christ," which will present the pavilion's theme "Beauty Brings Hope." This painting will be temporarily loaned from the Vatican Museums for the exhibition.

Simone Legno, co-founder of the Italian pop culture brand tokidoki, designed Luce and her "pilgrim friends"—Fe, Xin, and Sky—who all wear brightly colored jackets.

On October 28, 2024, the Vatican unveiled the official mascot for the Catholic 2025 Jubilee: "Luce," which means "light" in Italian.

Image source: Simone Legno/tokidoki/Vatican Media

Luce's yellow sailor raincoat symbolizes the Vatican flag and the storms of life's journey. Her muddy boots represent a long and arduous journey, while her staff symbolizes the pilgrimage path to eternity.

Legno stated that he has always loved Japanese pop culture and hopes "Luce can represent the emotions that resonate in the hearts of the younger generation."

He said, "I am very grateful that the Dicastery is also opening its doors to popular culture."

In the Catholic Church, a Jubilee is a special Holy Year filled with grace and pilgrimage significance. It typically occurs every 25 years, but the Pope can also declare special Jubilees more frequently, such as the Year of Mercy in 2016 and the Year of Faith in 2013.

To celebrate the Jubilee, the Vatican has planned a series of cultural events, including a concert of Shostakovich's "Fifth Symphony" on November 3, and an exhibition of Marc Chagall's painting "White Crucifixion," which will be loaned from the Art Institute of Chicago and displayed at the Museo di Corso in Rome from November 27 to January 27 of the following year.

The Jubilee will officially begin on Christmas Eve 2024 with the opening of the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, and it is expected that around 30 million pilgrims will travel to Rome by the end of the Jubilee on January 6, 2026.

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