Juan Carlos Yto: The History of the Peruvian who redesigned the Vatican website

“Since you were faithful in the little; I will be in charge of much more” (Matthew 25:23) is one of the biblical quotes that most repeats and keeps Juan Carlos Yto in the heart, the Peruvian digital designer who was in charge of the historical renewal of the official website of the Vatican.

His work not only marked a technological milestone in the Catholic Church, after more than 30 years without changes in the Vatican site, but also a testimony of faith and perseverance.

Yto, a member of the lay missionaries of Santa María de Nazareth, was summoned by the Dicasterio for the communication of the Holy See after the death of Pope Francis. “I felt extremely grateful … but also knowing that it is a big challenge for my career because we are talking about the website of the oldest institution in history,” he said in an interview with Ewtn News.

The commission was not improvised. Since 2020, Juan Carlos was part of a training program for the Holy See for young digital evangelizers, where he received training in theology, communication and design.

“We were 16 selected. Then they started trusting small and big projects,” he recalls. Over time, his style and commitment made him a trustworthy person to lead one of the most ambitious projects of the Vatican in the digital field.

A redesign with soul

The Vatican.va website, created in the 90s, was not accessible from cell phones and presented an old design. The main commission that Juan Carlos received was clear: modernize without losing the essence. “I was asked to be the site responsive (Adaptable), but do not lose the tradition. That those who have always used the page continue to feel at home, ”he explained.

Today the updated page offers access to multimedia content, a better organization of teaching documents and direct links to other Vatican offices and platforms, such as the papal travel and catechism section in several languages.

The Redesign of Vatican. It was not just aesthetic. Juan Carlos and his team conducted studies on user profile. “The audience is very large, in nine languages. Scholars, catechists, religious and faithful enter. The most visited pages are those of the Rosary,” he said. This information was key to prioritizing accessibility and functionality.

The project is not yet completely finished. “What has been launched is the homebut internally there is a lot of content that is still in development, ”he said.

Each Pope will have his own page with all his documents, homilies, speeches, trips and events. In addition, other pages currently dispersed under the same digital ecosystem will be integrated.

A new air for the Church

Vatican’s renovation .va coincides with a moment of transition in the Church, after the choice of the new Pope. For Juan Carlos, this context gives an even deeper meaning to his work. “I have seen in networks this feeling of joy, of a new air … a more fresh, more friendly, closer communication. And that gives us lights of where the communication of the church will evolve.”

Beyond the technical, what marked his experience was the call to serve with humility. “Accept with joy what is proposed to me, and return from my service the best I can so that it gives fruit … that finally the fruit will be done by God,” he reflected.

With his eyes on the next adjustments and expansions, Juan Carlos Yto continues his mission with the same conviction that has guided him since he was 15 years old, when he discovered his faith and vocation to design. Today, his testimony inspires many: being faithful in the little can open doors in the greatest.