Statues, Idolatry and Luce

It is generally assumed that statues of the Saints are an aid to contemplation and meditation. They are not generally regarded as idolatry. However, despite the best of intentions some followers may take it a little too far.

Ever since the earliest of times there have been artistic depictions of Our Lord Jesus Christ, The Holy Mother Mary, Saints and important Catholic figures. These range from the glorious artwork of Michaelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City to the frankly bizarre brass sculpture ‘La Resurrezione’ (The Resurrection) by Pericle Fazzini in the Paul VI Audience Hall in Rome. The latter depicting Jesus rising from a nuclear crater in the Garden of Gethsemane (Don’t worry, I don’t understand it either). However, unlike other religions and belief systems, these images are supposed to be fine, we are told they are illustrative.

As a representation, the work of art is seen as a tool or a point of focus for contemplation and prayer. This is why different paintings and statues of Jesus in different countries can vary in appearance, they are supposed to be used as a familiar image to reflect on because they are just an aid. If they were Idols, they would all be identical and any variation in appearance would be regarded as heresy. The art is religious in theme, but not religious in being.

If art representing Catholic themes was sacred in and off itself, then what would the reaction to images of Satan or Lucifer be? What would people say to ‘Las Tentaciones’ de Cristo’ (Temptations of Christ) by Sandro Botticelli? Its mere existence would be considered direct blasphemy and there would be calls for it to be destroyed.

During the early days of Catholicism, people didn’t have the education they have today, and people could only learn about the Bible through images and spoken narrative traditions, hence the creation of the Book of Kells and the ubiquity of statues. This is why some statues have added elements, focusing on a part of the Saint’s life or a particular Charism. There are statues of The Sacred Heart of Jesus, Virgin Mary with The Baby Jesus, St. Francis surrounded by cute little animals and birds. St Peregrine pointing to where his cancer was. They tell a story and remind us why the saints are important.

However, even though these artworks are useful depictions. The point does have to be reinforced that they are not religious in themselves. They are not relics, for example a small part of the body or vestments of a Saint, e.g. The Relics of St. Bernadette that toured Ireland in 2024. In a regular church, there are statues of the saints with candles and a prayer displayed, maybe even a short history of the Saint. However, the point of the statue is to focus the followers mind on the Saint and the Intention behind their request for help or an intercession and that is it. But some churchgoers may be taking it too far.

In the moments before Mass begins, some parishioners will walk up to a statue, place their hand on it and bow their head in deference, then they may try to kiss it or kiss their hand and place it on the statue. Sometimes, not lighting a candle. The statue doesn’t have any power. It is a tool of worship. However, the said churchgoers will continue their internal pilgrimage around all the statues repeating the same gestures and reverence. Apart from the fear of the possibility of a statue on a raised shelf toppling onto the worshipper and the health dangers of a lot of people touching and kissing the same object. It is quite a sight to behold.
Most notably, there doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. Regular believers will have a ‘favorite’ Saint. Some, will like St. Anthony, others will swear by St. Francis etc. However, the congregation who like to touch and kiss the statues don’t seem to have preferred Saints, they love them all. While loving Saints isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is difficult to determine what the goal is or what Intercession they are praying for. It really needs to be made clear to followers the place that these statues hold and what they are and most importantly what they are not.

Then we have the latest from the Vatican. The mascot for the Jubilee Year 2025 ‘Luce’. If the intention was to create an Anime (a form of Japanese animation) character for mass production and merchandising, then congratulations, that mission is a success. Honestly, this mascot is adorable, and if it is for sale, the Vatican will make a fortune. Also, in full disclosure, if it does go on the market, I will probably buy one. The intention is to encourage pilgrimages in 2025.

However, when it comes encouraging trips to holy sites around the globe, especially the Vatican, it’s difficult to see how that works. The mascot is aimed at children (and obsessive Anime fans, called ‘Otaku’ in Japan) But, the adults control the purse strings, so, maybe the idea is that the kids will pressure their parents for a trip to the Holy See? It might actually work, but, when the kids go to the Vatican will they be looking for Pope Francis or will they be looking for Luce or her friends? Yes, Luce has three friends, pets and there is what appears to be an Angel and a Dove (I assume that’s the Holy Spirit). Is this going to lead to Luce merchandise? Or are they going to turn religious sites into theme parks for the kids, with staff in Luce Mascot outfits?

They have basically created an animated celebrity. It has gained a lot of attention. But it may not be attention to the Sacraments or the Church. On the internet app X (formerly Twitter) the reactions were unusual. There were a lot of statement such as ‘I don’t believe in God, but I believe in Luce’ or ‘I’m not a Catholic, but I love Luce’ this was accompanied by various ‘fan art’ drawings of Luce in various Knights Templar and Crusader armor, also some of her hugging Jesus and the Virgin Mary. She has been adapted very quickly and has gained quite the fan base. Not much mention of pilgrimages though.

That’s the problem with creating statues and mascots with a religious theme, they often get mistaken for the real thing and the message can be confusing.