BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A year following Pope Francis’ passing, the beloved pontiff’s presence was felt once again in his homeland’s capital city — not through divine intervention, but via the musical talents of an unconventional Catholic cleric.
Guilherme Peixoto, a Catholic priest from Portugal now in his fifties, has gained international recognition in electronic dance music circles. On Saturday, he performed at a massive outdoor dance event in Buenos Aires, paying tribute to the Argentina-born church leader who passed away in April 2025.
While people of all ages and religious backgrounds moved to the rhythms controlled by Peixoto from his mixing station, massive video displays showed footage of the deceased Popes Francis and John Paul II alongside imagery of white doves.
“God bless you, and let’s dance,” announced a recorded voice before Peixoto emerged wearing traditional clerical clothing and DJ headphones at the famous Plaza de Mayo. He then began operating his equipment, spending the following two hours blending electronic beats with spiritual music.
“This is a unique opportunity to see him, and it’s free,” said Jesús Martín, a 54-year-old Spaniard and electronic music fan. “In Ibiza, you have to pay 150 euros, and up to 2,000 euros for VIP.”
Known professionally as Padre Guilherme, Peixoto has achieved worldwide fame, entertaining massive crowds globally while building an Instagram following of 2.8 million and generating over 220,000 monthly Spotify plays. He received his ordination in 1999, driven both by spiritual calling and to honor a pledge his mother made to God during his childhood battle with a serious illness.
Electronic music started as a personal interest while he served in ministry. During the 2000s, he began performing at colleges and hosting fundraising events for his parish, though he requested no photography due to concerns about criticism from church leadership.
These worries faded when Monsignor Jorge Bergoglio became Pope Francis in 2013.
“He often said, ‘Don’t be afraid,’ that we had to go out to the peripheries and that ‘We shouldn’t be afraid to use our hands.’ These messages were an inspiration,” Peixoto recalled in an interview with The Associated Press ahead of his performance in Buenos Aires.
Following this encouragement, he attended DJ training courses, connected with electronic music creators, and started producing original compositions. Soon, opportunities to perform at festivals and nightclubs throughout Portugal began emerging.
The cleric gained global attention following his performances during World Youth Day in 2023, prior to the outdoor Mass led by Pope Francis.
“I will never lose this connection with Pope Francis,” Peixoto said. “He was the one who touched my heart with this facet of music.”
Many who attended Saturday’s dance event had limited knowledge about the priest-turned-DJ.
“I learned about him when the tribute to Francis was first announced. I came to remember the Pope, but I think what he does is very original, as long as it’s done respectfully,” Silvia Garaggiola, 60, said.
Saturday’s musical selection featured Peixoto’s popular track “El Grano de Mostaza” along with electronic versions of Bad Bunny and Queen songs.
From Spain’s Medusa Festival in Cullera to Mexico’s Dreamfields, or the renowned Hï Ibiza venue — located in the Spanish resort destination often called electronic music’s “Vatican” — Peixoto shares messages of harmony and unity with thousands of young attendees, most of whom don’t actively practice Catholicism.
Surrounded by smoke from tobacco and marijuana, several teenage groups danced and copied the DJ priest’s gestures, while laser displays transformed Plaza de Mayo into what resembled a nightclub atmosphere.
“It sounds really good,” commented 17-year-old Ileana González. “I have zero religion, but I’m having fun.”
The Church hierarchy’s opposition to modernization, its stance against sexual diversity, and scandals involving child abuse have created distance between the Catholic Church and younger people — a divide that Pope Francis worked to bridge during his groundbreaking leadership.
Drawing inspiration from English musician Carl Cox and Italian American artist Anyma, Peixoto aims to continue that mission from his DJ platform.
“I believe it is incredibly important to make young people smile, to help them feel happy with themselves, rather than associating happiness with merely possessing this or that material thing,” he said.
