With electric blue hair and a bright yellow coat, Luce (Italian for 'light') looks straight out of an anime TV show or video game. And the Vatican is making no secret of its desire to reach out to young people, declaring its intention to "to live even within the pop culture so beloved by our youth." For more inspiration, take a look at our guide to character design.

Luce was designed by Japanese lifestyle brand tokidoki co-founder Simone Legno, who has depicted the character dressed as a pilgrim with mud-stained boots and a cross, since the theme of the 2025 Jubilee is 'Pilgrims of hope'.

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Holding the theme, "Pilgrims of Hope," the jubilee is set to open Dec 24, and will formally close on Jan. 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, in 2026.

In the official Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee of Hope, titled Spes non confundit, or "Hope does not disappoint," which was presented in St. Peter's Basilica last week, the pope said the plenary indulgence has "an even more important meaning" in the context of a world facing brutality and violence.

The full remission of the temporal consequences of a person's sins after they have been absolved, indulgences are a special feature of jubilee years, and are a way, according to the Vatican, of "discovering the unlimited nature of God's mercy."

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The once-every-quarter-century event is likely to bring about 32 million pilgrims to Rome

Last Thursday at St Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis presided over a ceremony where the papal bull, or official edict, for the Jubilee was read.

It lays out his vision for a year of hope and asks for gestures of solidarity for the poor, prisoners, migrants and Mother Nature.

Behind scenes chaos

Despite the pomp-filled event's majesty and prayerful hope for the upcoming year, there is still much to be done in the seven months until 24 December.

That's when Francis will open the basilica's Holy Door and formally inaugurate the Jubilee.

Just now though, completing preparations and public works projects in time are knife-edge priorities.

As occurred in the months before Jubilee 2000, pre-Jubilee public works projects are overwhelming Rome.

Reports speak of flood-lit construction sites operating around the clock, entire swathes of central boulevards rerouted and traffic jamming Rome's already clogged streets.

Vortexes of work aside, those in charge have faith it will all come together in time. And anyway - Rome's a fabulous place.

"In a beautiful city, you live better" said the Vatican's Jubilee point-person, Archbishop Renato Fisichella. Jubilee funding is helping make it more so for visitors.

"Rome will become an even more beautiful city, because it will be ever more at the service of its people, pilgrims and tourists who will come."

Jubilee years

A Jubilee Year - also known as a Holy Year - has been a tradition since about 1300, originating during Pope Boniface's papacy.

They happen usually once every quarter century, though they can be called more often.

Sometimes a pope calls an extraordinary one - to call attention to a particular issue or celebrate a momentous event for instance.

Francis called the last extraordinary Holy Year in 2016.

He wanted to emphasise his desire to present the Church as merciful and welcoming rather than moralising and remote.

Next year's Jubilee will be the first ordinary one since 2000 under Pope John Paul II's papacy.

The Vatican website says it should also be a time of reconciliation with adversaries and an occasion to promote solidarity, hope and justice in the world.

The Holy Doors, symbolising the doorway of salvation for Catholics, are opened only during Jubilee years.

There are four in Rome - in St Peter's Basilica, St John Lateran, St Mary Major and St Paul Outside the Walls.

Their openings will be staggered, with St Peter's door opening on December 24 this year and closing on January 6, 2026.

We need hope

The Jubilee is necessary, says Francis.

"Hope is needed by God's creation, gravely damaged and disfigured by human selfishness" Francis said in a vigil service after launching the Holy Year.

"Hope is needed by those peoples and nations who look to the future with anxiety and fear."

Source

• AP News
• Reuters

In his remarks, the Holy Father underscored the incredible value of the liturgy and recalled his, having declared this year ahead of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope as a Year of Prayer.

"It is important," the Pope stressed, "that in your studies, you reflect on the need to seek this union with the Lord and on the means that He, through the Church, has given us to achieve it."

"The liturgy also reminds us," he underscored, "that this encounter around God belongs to all."

The Pope went on to underline the importance of the connection between God and man in liturgy.

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