Lenten Campaign 2025
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As Jubilee 2025 unfolds, one unexpected figure is stealing hearts and headlines: Luce, the blue-haired, anime-inspired mascot of the Holy Year. (Her name is pronounced Loo-chay.) Created to embody the theme Pilgrims of Hope, Luce has sparked conversation, creativity, and even controversy. But beyond her shining eyes and viral memes, there’s more to this pilgrim than meets the eye. Here are three surprising things you might not know about Luce — and why they matter.
1. She’s not just cute — she’s catechetical
Luce isn’t merely a cheerful symbol. Every detail in her design carries theological weight. Her name means “light” in Italian, recalling Christ as the “light of the world” (John 8:12). Her muddy boots signal that the journey of faith is rarely clean or easy, while her yellow raincoat points to divine protection through life’s storms. She carries a traditional pilgrim’s staff — used for walking, yes, but also for warding off danger — reminding us that the spiritual life requires both perseverance and courage.
Even her companions serve a deeper purpose: Her three friends represent faith, truth, and transcendence, while her dog, Santino, nods playfully to the Church’s tradition of naming and honoring saints. Through these elements, Luce becomes a visual catechism — an imaginative tool to share complex truths in accessible ways, particularly for a generation raised on animation and symbolism.
2. She’s a bridge between cultures — and centuries
Luce was designed by Italian pop artist Simone Legno, whose bold, kawaii aesthetic blends Japanese visual culture with European sensibilities. That fusion isn’t just artistic — it’s theological. She made her Vatican debut at Lucca Comics and Games, the largest comic convention in Europe, marking the first time the Holy See formally entered such a space. Next, she’ll appear at Expo 2025 in Osaka, where she’ll represent the Vatican in a pavilion themed Beauty brings Hope.
And she won’t be alone. Alongside her will hang The Deposition of Christ by Caravaggio, a 17th-century masterpiece owned by the Vatican. This juxtaposition — anime mascot beside Baroque painting — may seem jarring, but both express a timeless yearning for hope, beauty, and resurrection.
One speaks through realism and chiaroscuro; the other through pastel tones and digital storytelling. Together, they signal the Church’s willingness to engage with the world’s evolving artistic languages without losing its message.
3. She’s already inspiring a movement (and a meme economy)
Since her unveiling, Luce has taken on a life of her own. Fan art across TikTok, Reddit, and X portrays her in endless variations: as Joan of Arc, a manga-style warrior, or gently cradled in Christ’s arms. One viral meme even reimagines The Shining, with Luce smashing through a door to cast out Satan — a quirky twist on spiritual warfare. Some enterprising fans even launched a novelty cryptocurrency called $luce, though it’s worth noting the token’s value has already dropped to near-zero.
Still, the energy is real. Luce has given young Catholics — and even the spiritually curious — a joyful new way to engage with faith. Sure, not everyone is sold on the Church’s embrace of pop culture. But, as noted by Melbourne Catholic, one Reddit commenter summed it up: “It’s a bizarre collab, but I’m here for it.”
For the Vatican, that openness to dialogue may be exactly the point.
For more about Jubilee 2025 and Luce’s upcoming appearances, visit iubilaeum2025.va.
