After the Vatican launched a cartoon character named Luci as a radiant face of the Catholic Church for the Jubilee Year 2025, the character took the internet and media by storm. So, who is Luci? And what does she symbolize?

Lucia, whose name means light in Italian, wears a yellow coat that symbolizes the Vatican flag and a life journey through storms. Her mud-stained shoes indicate a long and arduous journey, and her staff signifies a pilgrimage to eternity. And around her neck, a rosary indicates her prayerful life.

The cartoon character is accompanied by symbolic creatures, including her dog Santino and a dove named Aura (the breeze in Italian).

She is also surrounded by a guardian angel named Yubi (a diminutive of the word "jubilee"). Lucie has many friends, the most notable of whom are: Fi (faith in Spanish), Shin (truth in Japanese), and Sky (sky in English).

Who invented Lucci?

Lucchi is a creation of the company Tokidoki, which specializes in products inspired by Japanese culture. It was founded by the Italian Simone Legno, a man who grew up in a Catholic family in the city of Rome. Lucchi participated this week in the Lucca Comics Festival, one of the most prominent Italian festivals dedicated to the world of comics and video games. The Vatican's missionary department dedicated a booth for Luci and her friends. This is the Vatican's first official participation in a comic book festival.

Monsignor Rino Fisichella, the chief organizer of the Jubilee, described the cartoon character as part of the Vatican's goal to connect with "the popular culture beloved by our youth." He considered that it "will allow us to talk to the younger generations about hope, a theme that has become more central than ever in the missionary message.

Luchi is taking over the internet.

The character of Lucy spread rapidly on social media and garnered widespread interaction among Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Some expressed their admiration for the idea, while others criticized it, seeing it as a departure from the church's traditions or a simplification of ecclesiastical matters. Some critics pointed out that the company designing the character had previously worked on artistic projects that could be interpreted as supportive of homosexuality.

But for many, Lucci is a nice and innovative idea for evangelism. Evangelism sometimes requires a different language, and the "anime" culture is very popular in Asian countries and forms part of their identity.

People have been sharing pictures, videos, and digital artworks of the cartoon character, making her a star on social media in the past few days. It has also inspired the creation of a cryptocurrency called Luci Token, which has surpassed a market value of 50 million dollars. As the jubilee approaches, Luchi could become a prominent symbol of missionary work in the church.