In October, the Vatican launched the mascot for the 2025 jubilee: an anime-style representation of what appears to be a woke pilgrim girl. This character features a small girl with blue hair named Luce. She has scallop shells for pupils, a yellow storm jacket, a strange walking stick and muddy boots. The symbolism is of a young person on pilgrimage who weathers many storms.
From the very start, the mascot encountered significant criticism. Many described the figure as creepy and uninspiring. In response, the Vatican and its advocates vigorously defended it, saying it would reach out to a demographic the Church has trouble attracting.
Is Luce Attracting the Young?
The rationale behind this choice seemed logical. The Vatican aimed to connect with younger generations. It believed it was best to commission an artist with a scandalous portfolio who understood youth’s interests better than the Church. Many adolescents and young adults are fans of the anime genre, so the artist designed Luce with that audience in mind.
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However, three months later, there is still no sign of young people flocking to churches because of Luce. Google search stats on Luce have flatlined since its launch. This leaves the public questioning how far off the Vatican’s mark is. Indeed, the figure has become yet another example of modernists failing to connect with young people.
Reaction to Luce
Photo Credit: © Simone Legno
On social platforms where young people frequently exchange ideas, the reactions to Luce are just as mixed as between the adults, but they are revealing.
One commenter on Reddit wrote, “I don’t mean to be such a downer, but I don’t see Luce that way. Frankly, it makes me embarrassed to be a Catholic. I’m Gen Z, and to me, it just seems like an insipid mismatch that doesn’t mean anything. It doesn’t inspire me at all.”
Another user responded, “I’m Gen Z and see it as the exact opposite. Wonderful outreach into modern times and pop culture while maintaining the integrity of the church and her teachings.”
To which a third user retorted, “Ditto. For what it’s worth, I know a Catholic ten years younger than me (and I’m not “old”) and very much into Studio Ghibli, anime, and other media based on/deriving from Japanese culture, and she thinks this is embarrassing (“cringe, fr”).”
Savannah Evans, a young pro-life influencer who became famous over the summer for calling attention to a tent that stored the unattended consecrated hosts in large Tupperware containers for World Youth Day in Lisbon, does not know anyone in her circle of young friends who like Luce.
The Church’s Track Record in Attracting the Youth
After three months, a lack of enthusiasm for Luce indicates a misplaced trust in modern art forms. The Church has much to offer youth that goes beyond Luce. Her tried and tested devotions attract all generations, especially the youth. Several examples come to mind.
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Our Lady of Fatima is an excellent case. She appeared to young children, precisely the target demographic for Luce. Our Lady transformed Saint Jacinta and Saint Francisco into great saints within a matter of months, and to this day, there is evidence of children’s devotion to these saints. Indeed, Our Lady often chose to appear to children. The gravity of her messages never hindered young people’s interest and reception.
America Needs Fatima Home Visit Program features volunteers with copies of Our Lady of Fatima’s pilgrim statue, who visit thousands of homes annually and give talks on the Fatima message. Children frequently attend these talks.
These volunteers can attest to how children and youth are drawn to this devotion. One volunteer commented how it is common to see American teens who initially did not want to be at a visit but ended up liking the talk and spending some time praying in front of the Pilgrim Virgin Fatima statue. Our Lady of Fatima, just as in 1917, can still touch the hearts of the young today and draw them closer to the faith.
The Perennial Appeal of Christmas
An even stronger example is the enduring appeal of Christmas to the youth. Despite Christmas’ lamentable secularization, children joyfully await the celebration of the birth of a child on December 25. The observance of the holy day is so universal that even non-Christian countries will have opulent Christmas tree displays in non-Christian places like Kuala Lumpur, India, and Dubai.
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Anything Christmas-themed attracts large crowds worldwide. In Chicago’s Daley Plaza, the lines of families trying to enter the annual Christmas Market wrap around the city block twice practically every night since it opened.
The Infant Jesus, the Unassuming Social Influence
The most tried and tested devotion for the young and old, which has persisted for hundreds of years, is to the Infant Jesus. Google search stats on Baby Jesus and similar tags have steadily increased since September, outpacing Luce’s initial surge.
The theme is a frequent topic of discussion throughout the social media universe, especially at this time of the year. Effortlessly, without any official announcement from the Vatican, this influencer of the young has once again dominated the attention of the whole world.
The Church has favored the many traditions that honor the Infant Jesus. There are countless depictions because each region expressed devotion to Him in different ways.
One Spanish design portrays Jesus as a young Camino pilgrim with boots and a pilgrim’s staff. He is called Menino Jesus Romeiro de Santiago, and the painting is displayed in the Museus de Aveiro in Portugal. This endearing rendition portrays the Child Jesus as a Camino of Santiago pilgrim, like Luce. However, unlike Luce, he doesn’t cause mixed reactions or evoke discomfort.
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Another example is a popular Ecuadorian statue of the Infant Jesus that captures the wide-eyed charm of a young boy. He is portrayed standing in front of a cross with nail holes in the palms of his outstretched arms, as if ready to embrace both the cross and sinners. The symbolism of the Divino Niño Jesús de la Cruz del Pichincha is rich and proven to be accessible and attractive to young children. Unlike Luce’s symbols, the message of the symbols on the Niño Jesús del Pichincha is unequivocally and inspiring.
One of the oldest and most popular portrayals is the Infant Jesus of Prague. This small statue is venerated worldwide. The statue first appeared in 1556 and was eventually given to the care of the Carmelites in Prague. Legend tells that it once belonged to Saint Teresa of Avila. In the seventeenth century, Protestants swept through the area, destroying churches. The statue was displaced from the altar, and the hands were damaged. A decade later, a priest restored it to the church and heard the voice, “Have mercy on Me, and I will have mercy on you. Give Me hands, and I will give you peace. The more you honor Me, the more I will bless you.” Before long, the statue became the focus of worldwide devotion due to the many miracles granted to people.
It inspired great saints like Saint Therese of Lisieux, who entered the Carmelites at the age of 15, taking the name of Therese of the Child Jesus and putting her in the demographic targeted by Luce.
Why Is The Vatican Abandoning Popular Devotions?
Could Vatican officials not learn a valuable lesson from these examples? The Church already has many devotions that attract the youth. For decades, modernists have tried different approaches like Luce that have proven unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the time-tested traditions of the Church continue to attract and convert.
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A wise business owner understands the importance of following methods that repeatedly prove successful. Perhaps Vatican officials would do well to follow the Church’s Divine founder. Our Lord Jesus Christ, attracted children and suffered them to approach Him. His Divine Spouse continues to do so.
The real reason why modernists abandon these devotions is not because they have suddenly failed but because they do not reflect modernist values.