Vatican Introduces Cartoon Mascot to Engage Young Audiences
The Vatican introduced a friendly cartoon character on Monday to welcome visitors for the 2025 Jubilee. This new mascot, named Luce, meaning “light” in Italian, will be a cheerful symbol for the Catholic Church’s special year.
Luce aims to attract younger people and help guide them through the Jubilee events. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who is leading the plans for the Jubilee, shared that the mascot is part of the Vatican’s effort to connect with popular culture that appeals to young audiences.
This week, the mascot will make its first appearance at Lucca Comics and Games, Italy’s popular event for comics, video games, and fantasy. At the convention, the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization will set up a special area called “Luce and Friends.”
First time a Vatican office joins comics convention
For the first time, a Vatican office will join a comics convention. Archbishop Fisichella, who leads the Dicastery for Evangelization’s efforts in modern outreach, shared that he hopes this event will help connect with young people and share a message of hope—a theme that he says is vital in today’s world.
The mascot, Luce, is dressed for the journey in a yellow raincoat, worn boots, and a pilgrim’s cross. With her loyal dog Santino by her side, Luce’s role is to guide young visitors toward hope and faith.
Her eyes hold a special detail—shells that reflect the scallop symbol of the Camino de Santiago, a famous path for pilgrims, representing the spirit of the journey.
At a Vatican press conference on Oct. 28, Archbishop Fisichella stood beside a figurine of Luce and described her bright eyes as “a symbol of hope in the heart.”
Luce will also serve as the face of the Vatican’s pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan. She will represent the theme, “Beauty Brings Hope,” alongside Caravaggio’s famous painting, “The Entombment of Christ,” which will be on temporary display from the Vatican Museums during the event.
Outfit of Luce, the Vatican’s mascot, has symbolic meaning
Italian designer Simone Legno, co-founder of the well-known brand tokidoki, created Luce and her colorful companions—Fe, Xin, and Sky. Each character sports a bright, eye-catching jacket.
Luce’s outfit carries symbolic meaning. Her yellow raincoat nods to the colors of the Vatican flag and represents perseverance through life’s storms.
The mud on her boots speaks to the struggles of a challenging journey, while her staff represents the pilgrim’s pursuit of a timeless destination.
Legno, a longtime fan of Japanese pop culture, expressed his hopes that “Luce can represent the sentiments that resonate in the hearts of the younger generations.”
“I am extremely grateful to the Dicastery for Evangelization for opening its doors to pop culture as well,” he said.
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