by Elizabeth Hanisch and Hannah Spindler

During a press conference held in October 2024, the Vatican unveiled Luce, a blue-haired, big-eyed cartoon character designed as the official mascot for the 2025 Jubilee Year. The introduction triggered a cascade of reactions, with conservative Catholics condemning Luce as inappropriate or even demonic, while many outside the Church embraced the mascot’s bright, playful design. Despite this divide of opinions, one point of consensus emerged: Luce is undeniably adorable.

This video essay explores why a centuries-old religious institution like the Catholic Church would choose to employ the visual language of cuteness, examining its power as a strategic marketing tool capable of boosting engagement and relatability, and thereby, potentially softening criticism and reshaping public image. 

At the same time, a wide range of disruptive remixing and online discourse has emerged around the mascot. Following these digital rabbit holes, the video essay explores how Luce’s sweet, sparkling eyes have become a catalyst for broader debates about the institutional appropriation of pop-cultural aesthetics and the unpredictable trajectories of cute designs in networked spaces.

This video essay was produced 2024/25 in the context of a course on „Video Essays“ taught by Prof. Dr. Brigitte Weingart at the University of Arts Berlin (UdK).