[imagesource:catholictv/x]

The Vatican has unveiled a new anime-inspired mascot for children ahead of the Jubilee 2025 celebrations.

Luce, whose name is the Latin word for “light,” wears a yellow hooded raincoat with a beaded rosary and carries a staff in a modern take on the event’s theme of “Pilgrims of Hope.”

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the Vatican’s chief organizer of the Jubilee, unveiled the official mascot earlier this week during a press conference about next year’s cultural program. He said the mascot will guide younger audiences through the festivities and that she was “created from the desire to enter into the world of pop culture, so beloved by our young people.”

He added that he believed she might assist the Vatican in “speaking to younger generations about the theme of hope, which is more central than ever in the evangelical message.”

“Luce” will also serve as the mascot of the Holy See’s pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.

The Holy See pavilion will also display the 17th-century painting “The Entombment of Christ” by Caravaggio. pic.twitter.com/HkdFuvB7oc

— CatholicTV (@CatholicTV) October 28, 2024

The mascot is the creation of Italian artist Simone Legno, who is known for Japanese-inspired kawaii designs via his company Tokidoki.

The pop artist took inspiration from street graffiti and Japanese art to create Luce, who debuted at Lucca Comics and Games, a popular convention for video games, comic books, and fantasy in Tuscany.

There, the Dicastery for Evangelization hosted “Luce and Friends,” which introduced visitors to more characters from the mascot’s world including her pals Fe, Xin, Sky, and her dog Santino.

The cutesy, anime girl has sparked mixed reactions online. Some praised the Catholic Church’s ability to “stay relevant through the medium of art” and one X user even commented: “Rome has the attention of the world again, as always and as it should be.”

“We have taken the Memesphere.”

Others, as is always the case, weren’t too impressed with Luce, with one poor soul even calling the poor mascot the devil: “I think it is a deeply evil symbol and should not be viewed. The name Luce is very close to Lucifer and she carries a witch’s accessory.”

“It’s an anime mascot, Tone. Her name’s Luce. It’s Italian for ‘light’. She very kawaii. pic.twitter.com/yAiu0jzRZ5

— Spooky Umaru☧ (@writriverdale) October 28, 2024

pic.twitter.com/OeIW2iTW5l

— Pinesap🌲🍯✝️☦️🇻🇦 (@Pinesap3wasc) October 28, 2024

Modernism is, among many things, an agent of demoralization. It seeks to humiliate, diminish & shame. Don’t let them succeed. Choose greatness. pic.twitter.com/AeiGzCMWdu

— A Milwaukee Catholic (@CCityCatholic) October 28, 2024

I never thought I was going to defend or talk about anime in this account. pic.twitter.com/HBJIS8eP1w

— Augustine of the Valley (@AugustineOTV) October 29, 2024

The Jubilee is a special holy year in the Vatican calendar that typically happens every 25 years. The Vatican is expected to receive some 30 million pilgrims between December 24, 2024 and January 6, 2026.

[source:forbes&artnet]