Jeans, a clerical collar and a rosary on his wrist: this is how Father Guilherme Peixoto \u2013\u00a0the \u00abDJ Priest\u00bb \u2013\u00a0appeared in central Buenos Aires on Saturday to spin electronic music at a massive rave paying tribute to Pope Francis one year after his death.<\/p>\n
Techno versions of the ‘Super Mario’ soundtrack and ‘Ameno’ \u2013\u00a0the 1990s classic that emulates Gregorian chant — were mixed with excerpts from Francis’\u00a0speeches in Plaza de Mayo, the political heart of Argentina, which had been transformed into a Catholic celebration.<\/p>\n
From behind the decks, Peixoto energised tens of thousands of people beneath a laser light show, flanked by the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Cathedral and Casa Rosada, the seat of the Argentine government.<\/p>\n
Peixoto told AFP his goal for the event was \u00abto let the music touch hearts so deeply that young people return home with a desire to change the world.\u00bb<\/p>\n
On stage, an illuminated cross hung above Peixoto as a nearby screen showed a large white dove flapping its wings as a symbol of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n
Many people in the crowd wore halos fitted with white lights, sold by street vendors for less than US$10.<\/p>\n
The concert kicked off with an audio clip of Francis saying, \u00abThe Church is not an NGO.\u00bb Later, the 52-year-old Portuguese priest recited Francis’s frequent request to young people to \u00abmake some noise.\u00bb<\/p>\n
Francis, who was born in Buenos Aires and served as archbishop of the city before his papacy began in 2013, died on April 21, 2025.<\/p>\n
Tom\u00e1s Ferreira, a 25-year-old lawyer, told AFP that while he is not Catholic, he thought it was \u00abreally great that the priest is trying to bring people together through the fusion of electronic music and religion.\u00bb<\/p>\n
\u00abReligion is modernising, and that’s a good thing,\u00bb he said.<\/p>\n
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From Guimar\u00e3es to the booth<\/strong><\/p>\n A native of Guimar\u00e3es, Portugal, Peixoto has served as a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Braga, northern Portugal, since 1999.\u00a0<\/p>\n His Sunday masses, he said with a laugh, \u00abare normal. It’s a normal liturgy.\u00bb<\/p>\n He entered the seminary at age 13, but always kept one foot in the world of music. As a young man, he played the organ in a pop-rock band alongside his fellow seminarians.<\/p>\n \u00abGoing to church and going out to a bar or a club to listen to music felt the same \u2013\u00a0it was normal,\u00bb he recalled in an interview with AFP.<\/p>\n In the early 2000s, he organised karaoke nights to raise funds for his debt-ridden parish. He learned how to mix music by watching videos on YouTube and practicing the craft over several years.<\/p>\n \u00abWhen I first started learning how to mix, I also began to immerse myself in electronic music culture. It wasn’t just about understanding the technicalities, how to structure a set, but grasping the very essence of what an ‘electronic music journey’ truly is,\u00bb Peixoto said.<\/p>\n \u00abIt was a long, long process \u2013\u00a0a journey that led me right here.\u00bb<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Breakthrough in Ibiza<\/strong><\/p>\n The Covid-19 pandemic marked the turning point for Peixoto.<\/p>\n He began streaming live sets on Facebook, his videos went viral and the nickname \u00abDJ Priest\u00bb stuck.<\/p>\n \u00abTechno started becoming a bit more melodic, which is the style I play now,\u00bb said Peixoto.<\/p>\n \u00abThe music isn’t quite as intense or heavy as it used to be. Instead, it serves as a vehicle capable of conveying messages, thoughts and melodies.\u00bb<\/p>\n He said he conveys \u00abmessages of peace.\u00bb<\/p>\n Peixoto’s breakthrough moment came in Ibiza in July 2024, when he celebrated his 25th anniversary as a priest by performing in front of thousands of people.<\/p>\n He said he was concerned about how people would react to seeing a priest in the DJ booth. But the fear quickly faded when he said he saw young people showing \u00absuch incredible warmth.\u00bb<\/p>\n \u00abI get goosebumps when I feel that we are all united on the dance floor, that we are all on this journey together,\u00bb he said.<\/p>\n by Leila Macor, AFP<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\nrelated news<\/h6>\n<\/p>\n<\/section>\n