The Catholic Church joins the world of anime with an official Vatican mascot

Anime continues to grow as a global phenomenon, a million-dollar industry that is growing and has followers of all ages. Now, the Catholic Church is also betting on it thanks to the creation of a new mascot. The Vatican has introduced Luce, the anime-style character who will debut in the Expo 2025 of Osaka in Japan, and which was born on the occasion of Jubilee 2025.

Luce means light in Italian, and the goal is to attract a younger audience. The character’s yellow raincoat is both a nod to the Vatican flag and the long and difficult journey of life. The person in charge of presenting it was the archbishop Rino Fisichella, who described Luce as part of the Vatican’s goal to engage with “the pop culture so beloved by our young people.” The mascot is present at Lucca Comics and Games, the event held in the Italian town of Lucca in the heart of Tuscany and which brings together great personalities from different entertainment industries.

The anime phenomenon reaches everywhere

Japanese animation has been a global benchmark for decades, but year after year its impact continues to grow and is increasingly established in the West. What was previously the passion of a few in countries like Spain is now seen more normally and is part of the daily lives of a large number of people, and a good example of this establishment is that even the Catholic Church decides that anime is also present among them.

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