The Vatican on Monday launched the official mascot for the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year, a cartoon character called Luce, whose name means "light" in Italian.
The smiling character, dressed in a yellow raincoat and muddy boots, was unveiled by the Vatican’s chief Jubilee organiser, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who said the aim was to engage with “the pop culture so beloved by our young people.”
The mascot, with her pilgrim's staff and dog Santino, is designed to guide young pilgrims towards hope and faith, according to the Catholic News Agency (CNA).
Luce’s yellow raincoat references both the Vatican flag and the journey "through life’s storms", CNA reports, with her mud-stained boots representing a long, difficult journey and her staff symbolising "the pilgrimage toward eternity".
The seashell motif in Luce's eyes recalls the scallop shell of the Camino de Santiago, an ancient emblem of the pilgrimage journey.
Main Image: Luce, Designed by tokidoki founder Simone Legno