The Vatican has introduced “Luce,” the official mascot for the Holy Year 2025. Unveiled during a press conference on October 28, 2024, by Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Luce embodies the spirit of pilgrimage and hope, as reflected in the Holy Year’s motto, “Pilgrims of Hope.”
Luce, whose name translates to “light” in Italian, is depicted as a cheerful cartoon character dressed in a bright yellow raincoat and muddy boots, symbolizing the journey of faith even through challenging conditions.
With glowing eyes shaped like scallop shells, a traditional symbol of pilgrimage, Luce is designed to resonate with younger audiences, merging the sacred with contemporary pop culture.
The mascot will be making her first appearance at the Lucca Comics and Games convention in Italy, where the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization will host a dedicated space for “Luce and Friends.”
This marks a historic first, as a Vatican dicastery participates in a comics convention, reflecting a modern approach to evangelization.
Luce is set to represent the Holy See at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, under the theme “Beauty brings hope.” Visitors will find her at the Holy See’s pavilion, located within Italy’s national pavilion, which will showcase Caravaggio’s renowned painting, “The Entombment of Christ,” the only one of his works housed in the Vatican Museums.
