Posted on 10/29/2024 5:11:28 PM PDT by ebb tide
The Vatican has unveiled an official animated mascot for the upcoming Jubilee Year 2025 in an apparent attempt to appeal to more young people.
Revealed at a press conference Monday, the mascot is a female pilgrim named Luce (light) who has blue hair and wears a yellow raincoat, muddy boots, carries a staff, and, most notably, a rainbow-colored rosary around her neck. The character was created by Italian artist Simone Legno, whose company Tokidoki has promoted LGBT “Pride” month with materials similar in style to the newly released Vatican mascot.
In addition to Luce, there are three other mascots – Fe, Xin, and Sky – who don the other three colors on the Jubilee’s logo: red, green, and blue. Together, they make up “Luce and friends.”
A Jubilee Year is a special year of pilgrimage and grace in which the Catholic faithful have unique opportunities to gain a plenary indulgence. The 2025 Jubilee Year will occur from December 24, 2024, through January 6, 2026, with the theme of “Spes non Confundit,” or “hope does not disappoint.”
The Vatican press release explained that Luce’s yellow raincoat and muddy boots symbolize her long journey through storms as a pilgrim, and the bright seashells in Luce’s eyes symbolize the Light of God.
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and organizer of the Jubilee, said during Monday’s press conference that Luce’s shining eyes are a “symbol of hope in the heart.”
The archbishop noted that the dicastery will showcase “Luce and Friends” at this year’s Lucca Comics and Games convention for video games, comic books, and fantasy in Italy and again next year at the Holy See’s pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan.
Fisichella also emphasized that the mascot was created to draw more young people into the Church through “pop culture.” He hoped that having exhibits at these expos “will allow us to speak to younger generations about the theme of hope, which is more central than ever in the evangelical message,” while adding that the mascot underscores the Church’s will “to live even within the pop culture so beloved by our youth.”
Simone Legno, the Italian artist behind “Luce and Friends” and Tokidoki co-founder, echoed Fisichella’s sentiments about the Jubilee year as a “unique opportunity” for the Church to engage with young people.
“The Jubilee is undoubtedly a unique opportunity for encounter and dialogue for millions of people, including many young people. I hope that the pilgrim Luce can represent the sentiments that resonate in the hearts of the younger generations,” Legno said.
The artist also wrote about being raised Catholic in the press release. “I grew up in Rome in a Catholic family, where I learned the principles of a faith grounded in generosity and respect for others,” Legno said.
Despite growing up Catholic, Legno’s company, Tokidoki, has previously endorsed “LGBT pride,” selling “pride”-themed merchandise such as digital wallpapers, “art,” and hats on its website.
This is not the first time Pope Francis’s Vatican has appeared to promote pro-LGBT artwork. In 2022, the Synod on Synodality’s social media accounts posted images that showed an individual wearing a t-shirt with the word “pride” written in rainbow letters standing next to a woman dressed as a priest. Another image seemed to show the phrase “Catholic Identity” juxtaposed with “LGBTQ+ Identity.” Cardinal Mario Grech defended the artwork, saying it was simply part of being a “listening church.”
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Very.
Ping
At all related to "Lucifer"?
These are particularly bad, but just generally, what’s the deal with the dimbass “mascots” for everything
SMH
To corrupt our youth.
Shades of Drag Queen Story Hour, in terms of grooming efforts, seemingly.
Where’s the contrast with what is worldly, with popular secular culture?
Young people ultimately do not want and will not adhere to a sugar-coated version of the One True Faith.
They will want the unvarnished truth, to take with them into adulthood.
Well we still know that a bear stills crap in the woods
Well we still know that a bear stills crap in the woods
Having a mascot for everything is part of Japanese culture. The genre of cute mascot art is called “Kawaii “. Very trendy with young people in the US and other countries right now.
On the upside, it is innocent and attractive. Unlike many art expressions these days that are deliberately vulgar or ugly.
On the other hand, it is superficial— very lightly Catholic.
It’s big-eye kitsch.
What are the symbols reflected in the eyes,the nine fingered hand, or is it a shrub? Blue pupils on blue irises.
Of course it’s kitsch. But it is not evil. And it could be worse.
Pilgrim’s staff facts for kids
Kids Encyclopedia Facts
https://kids.kiddle.co/images/2/27/Arms_of_John_Hawkins.svg
Arms of John Hawkins
Pilgrim’s staff in heraldry
The pilgrim’s staff is a walking stick used by Christian pilgrims during their pilgrimages, like the Way of St. James to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain or the Via Francigena to Rome.
Sorry, I am inept at posting pictures. However, the one depicted on the coat of arms above is kind of forked at the top. It formed natural place to hang your pumpkin. A pumpkin was used like we would use a water bottle today. There is still a variety of pumpkin Called Pilgrim’s pumpkin.
Care to explain the significance of the rainbow rosary?
No, I have nothing to contribute on that.
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