Who is Luce?
Luce is the official mascot for the Catholic Church’s Jubilee in 2025. Created by Simone Legno, tokidoki’s founder, she embodies a Catholic pilgrim. She is accompanied by her pet dog Santino, and three companions named Fe, Xin, and Sky.
She has blue hair and dons a yellow rain jacket; a symbol of Vatican City’s flag. It is also symbolic of “navigating through life’s storms.” In her hand, she carries the pilgrim’s staff, representing “the journey toward eternity,” and wears sports mud-stained boots symbolizing “a long and arduous journey.” The highlights in her eyes are shaped like a scallop shell, an emblem of Catholic pilgrimage, and her bright eyes signify “the hope of the heart”. Luce also wears a multi-coloured World Mission rosary around her neck.
Simone Legno, the creator of Luce, expressed his hope that “Luce can embody the feelings that resonate with the younger generations.”
When Did Luce Meet the Public?
On October 28, 2024, Luce was revealed by Archbishop Rino Fisichella of the Dicastery for Evangelization as the official mascot for the upcoming Catholic Jubilee in 2025. He mentioned that Luce was inspired by the Catholic Church’s intent “to engage even within the pop culture cherished by our youth”. Luce represented the Holy See at Lucca Comics & Games in 2024, marking the first time the Vatican took part in a comic convention. She is also set to appear at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.
What Does the Internet Think of Luce?
Since her debut, Luce has taken the world by storm; rapidly inspiring Internet memes, fan art, and cosplay. The mascot design has drawn comparisons to anime characters, leading the Internet to humorously discuss the Catholic Church’s decision to spotlight their love of anime. Luce’s appearance is akin to that of Ai Ohto, the main character in Wonder Egg Priority, as well as Rei Ayanami from Neon Genesis Evangelion. Emanuele Vietina, the director of Lucca Comics & Games, commented that Luce has traits similar to Arale Norimaki from Dr. Slump.
She has even polarised the Catholics. Even though the majority liked Vatican City’s move; many traditionalist commentators labelled her as “too modern and silly” to represent Catholicism. Some critics drew a comparison to her rosary to the multi-coloured pride flag. Let it be known that the colours of the rosary stem from the World Mission rosary developed by Fulton Sheen. Kevin Smith, the director of Dogma, noted that “Buddy Christ winked so Luce could dilate”.
Image Courtesy – Sky News
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