VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — The creator of the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee logo “Luce” has made a nativity scene for the Vatican’s annual exhibition, despite widespread outcry at his Jubilee involvement over his company’s promotion of LGBT issues and sex toys.
As part of the now annual “100 Cribs at the Vatican” exhibition – located under the south colonnades of St. Peter’s Square, Italian artist Simone Legno has created a nativity scene.
His exhibit features just Mary, St. Joseph, and Christ in a manger of pink hay.
In all of their eyes, Legno has inserted bright, blue seashells, symbolizing the pilgrim’s shell – an obvious reference to the pilgrim mascot “Luce” Legno created for the 2025 Jubilee Year.

Legno is known for his company Tokidoki, which designs art with heavy Japanese influences, closely resembling anime. In recent weeks, he shot into a much more prominent place in Catholic circles when a mascot he designed for the upcoming 2025 Jubilee was unveiled at the Vatican.
Named “Luce,” the mascot quickly became a viral internet phenomenon. Luce (meaning light) is a female pilgrim with vivid blue hair. Wearing a yellow raincoat, muddy boots, the mascot carries a staff, and a multi-colored rosary around her neck. The mascot is now available as a merchandising opportunity for the cash-strapped Vatican.
The pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, said in October that Luce’s shining eyes are a “symbol of hope in the heart.” He also emphasized that the mascot was created to draw more young people into the Church through “pop culture.”

Fisichella hoped that having exhibits at exhibitions “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.”
However, Legno’s anti-Catholic record quickly became apparent. Tokidoki has previously endorsed “LGBT pride,” selling “pride”-themed merchandise such as digital wallpapers, “art,” and hats on its website.
NEW: Vatican unveils the official mascot for 2025 Jubilee year, as prep increases & pre-Jubilee events approach.
It’s designed by Tokidoki creator Simone Legno, who highlights his Italian Catholic heritage. His company promotes Pride month. pic.twitter.com/9NM5IV6MtK
— Michael Haynes 🇻🇦 (@MLJHaynes) October 28, 2024
Subsequent research highlighted that the company also collaborated in selling adult sex toys made by British company “Lovehoney” in 2016.
READ: Vatican’s Jubilee Year mascot owned and created by pro-LGBT company linked to adult sex toy designs
Lovehoney stated that its products had been specifically designed for the collaboration, in order to be more “cute.” [For reasons of modesty, the press release will not be linked here.]
“We are thrilled to be working with industry leader Lovehoney and to collaborate on such an innovative range that promotes the importance of sexual health and overall well-being,” said Tokidoki co-founder and CEO Pooneh Mohajer.
Launching the mascot “Luce,” Legno said that the Jubilee Year was 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.
As a company, Tokidoki expressed similar excited anticipation when partnering with Lovehoney to promote its sex toys to young people. A press release issued at the time acclaimed the sex toys as the “most fashion-forward and colourful Lovehoney range to date, the collaboration aims to be popular amongst 18-30s who are looking to inject some colour into their sex lives.”
“The 18-30 market is key for us and we noticed there were high levels of interest in Japanese culture and Kawaii-inspired designs amongst this audience,” revealed Lovehoney’s international sales manager for the U.K. and U.S. The collaboration has since been discontinued.
Legno serves as chief creative officer at Tokidoki.
As for the Vatican’s 100 cribs exhibition, Archbishop Fisichella praised it as an “event which will help revive our faith … it is an annual occasion which, for years, has helped us see the mystery of Christmas more clearly.”
“We have managed to put together 125 nativity scenes, from 21 different countries. The world is therefore present in Rome, in St. Peter’s Square, to give that message of peace and serenity that we all feel the need and responsibility for, because in our own small way we can contribute to building it.”
Fisichella’ dicastery is responsible for both the exhibition and the 2025 Jubilee Year.
The inclusion of Legno’s nativity scene in the exhibition comes as a notable statement and appears as yet another snub to the concerns expressed by numerous Catholics, who were concerned at the Vatican’s Jubilee partnership with an LGBT advocate.