Padre Guilherme, a Catholic priest who also DJs, led a dance party outside St. Elizabeth cathedral for Archbishop Bernard Bober’s 75th birthday in Slovakia.
Now we’ve seen it all. Standing as testament to the widespread appeal of dance culture, a priest has thrown a rave at the foot of a cathedral — and with the Pope’s blessing, no less.
Padre Guilherme, known to many as the “DJ priest,” manned the decks in front of St. Elizabeth Cathedral in Košice, Slovakia on Saturday, November 8. The occasion marked Archbishop Bernard Bober‘s 75th birthday. Lasers, spotlights, and projection mapping made it a night to remember, not to mention a video greeting by Pope Leo XIV on the LED wall behind the booth.
“Dear young people,” said the Pope in the recording. “With joy I greet you as you gather before this splendid cathedral of Košice, which is a beating heart of faith and hope. Coming from different nations, yet united by the same faith, your presence is a tangible sign of the fraternity and peace that is instilled in our hearts by friendship with Christ.”
He continued: “Jesus calls you to be witnesses of communion, builders of bridges, and sewers of trust in a world often marked by division and suspicion. Do not be afraid, then, to show that you are Christians, to live the gospel with enthusiasm, and to share the joy that springs from encountering the Lord.”
Born Robert Francis Prevost, Pope Leo XIV is the first head of the Catholic Church to ever hail from the US — and one of the most progressive. And dance music is no surface-level gimmick for Padre Guillherme; he recently released an EP titled Integral Ecology and performed at Dreamfields México Festival. The Pope’s recorded message is part of his original single, “Dear Young People.”
But don’t expect everyone to get onboard with this kumbaya moment, as some have leveled criticism at the Church for embracing dance culture. Writing for Advent Messenger, Andy Roman argues that “this represents yet another major departure from the Christian faith” as raves “are often tied to drugs, alcohol, and sexuality.”
Be that as it may, something tells us that this won’t be the last-ever cathedral rave. Now that worshippers have gotten a taste, they’ll surely be clamoring for more.
