A Catholic priest who also works as a DJ performed a sold-out set in Beirut on Saturday, drawing both cheers and criticism. Guilherme Peixoto, known as Padre Guilherme, is a 52-year-old clergyman from northern Portugal who uses electronic music to spread his faith and message of peace.
Peixoto, who has 2.6 million Instagram followers, gained global attention after performing at World Youth Day in 2023 and another event with Pope Leo in 2025. His Beirut show was his first in Lebanon, a country where Christians make up about a third of the population.
The performance faced opposition before it began. Eighteen people, including Christian religious officials, filed a petition to cancel the event, calling it an insult to the faith. A judge rejected the petition, and the club agreed to have security and display no religious symbols. Peixoto expressed regret to those offended and asked for prayers.
During the day, Peixoto led Mass at Saint Joseph University of Kaslik. At night, he performed at AHM nightclub, where images of Pope Francis, Pope John Paul II, and white doves were projected on screens. He played a song for Lebanon and waved a Lebanese flag, but did not wear his cassock as per the agreement with organisers.
Reactions online were divided. Some criticised turning faith into entertainment, while others praised his modern approach to reaching youth. Peixoto said his message is about respect and unity, asking why people of different races and backgrounds cannot live together peacefully as they do on the dance floor.
