2025 will mark a Holy Year jubilee for the Catholic Church and to mark this special occasion they have just unveiled their first ever anime mascot: Luce.
The anime-inspired Luce is the Vatican’s first endeavor into mascot marketing for the Holy Year celebrations. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-profect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and the Vatican’s chief organizer for the jubilee, explained that the mascot is a part of the Vatican’s goal to appeal to and better engage with the new generation through “pop culture so beloved by our youth.”
Luce’s Ties to Japan
Luce’s design is very reminiscent of cute anime chibi characters, or trendy collectable figures such as Nendoroid and Pop Mart— and that is no coincidence. The mascot was designed by Italian artist Simone Legno, who is best known as the co-founder of Tokidoki, the Japanese-inspired art and lifestyle brand. Tokidoki produces a variety of kawaii-centered products such as apparel, bags, stationery and art figures of their many character series. Legno has expressed his gratitude to the Dicastery for Evangelization for embracing pop culture and realigning faith towards the interests of the younger generation.
The Holy See, the central governing body of the Catholic Church and the Vatican City State, will also be exhibiting at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka in collaboration with the Italy pavilion. Their logo for the expo is inspired by Japanese sumi-e ink paintings as a “union between Christian symbols and Japanese culture,” as Archbishop Fisichella describes.
The Holy See has also appointed four artists as ambassadors for their Osaka exhibit: Etsuro Sotoo, a sculptor from Fukuoka, Cecco Bonanotte, an Italian sculptor popular in Japan, Tomomi Nishimoto, a renowned musical conductor, and Kan Takahama, a manga artist internationally known for her series Nyx’s Lantern. The Luce mascot is another addition towards the Vatican’s efforts to appeal to both a Japanese audience and young Catholics.
Design Origins
Luce’s name means “light” in Italian, matching with the jubilee’s “Pilgrims of Hope” theme. Luce has blue hair with shell-shaped glimmer in her eyes that are meant to be representative of the scallop shell of the Camino de Santiago, an emblem of the Catholic pilgrimage journey. The character also dons a yellow raincoat with the jubilee logo, mud-stained boots, a staff and a cross; symbolic of one’s journey through life’s storms.
“[Luce] is depicted with the typical elements of the pilgrim,” explained Archbishop Fisichella, “the yellow raincoat to shelter from the weather, boots mud-stained from traveling, a missionary cross around the neck, the pilgrim’s staff, and above all, glowing eyes, a symbol of hope of the heart.”
Luce & Friends Debut
Joining Luce’s journey are her friends: Fe, Xin and Sky. Other side characters include Aura the dove and Santino the dog. The characters will make their first public appearance at the Lucca Comics & Games, the largest comics, games and anime convention in Europe. This is the first time the Vatican will participate in the event.
Luce & Friends have already been gaining traction online with religious devotees and anime fans sparking discussions, fanart and memes soon after the Vatican’s surprising announcement.
