• Religion One and a half million people embrace the Pope in Lisbon at the first WYD after the pandemic
  • Trip to Lisbon The Pope closes his trip with a mass Mass: "I feel pain for Ukraine and I dream of peace"

Since the arrival of Pope Francis to the Vatican, the Church began a process of structural and ideological modernization to open the doors to the new generations of Christians who lived disenchanted with religion.

One of those renewal strategies was based on music, one of the pillars of Christianity for the dissemination of its message throughout history. From the beginnings of Gregorian chant, through the usual songs of ecclesiastical ceremonies, to the appearance of groups like Hakuna that today sweep among young people.

Therefore, in this rejuvenating process, music could not be missing at the World Youth Day that has just been celebrated in Lisbon.

Numerous artists have gathered there, including Father Guilherme Peixoto, known as "DJ priest", for waking up the million and a half parishioners waiting in the Campo de la Gracia for the final mass of Pope Francis.

"I prepared everything to wake people up as if it were a hymn of glory to God, as our life should be," the priest explained about his performance.

The priest's "Catholic Session" began at seven o'clock on Sunday morning with an electronic version of Hallelujah and continued with songs such as the acclaimed Jerusalema. In addition, between songs, he interspersed phrases from Pope Francis and John Paul II, as well as messages from the encyclicals "Fratelli Tutti" and "Laudato si".

"I want to bring you a message in another language. If I'm in a church I use one language, but if I'm in a concert hall I use another language. In any case, I seek to show the essence of the Church and the priest that I am," he added.

"It was a nice experience but at the same time quite weird, because after falling asleep in the wake it was like waking up in Tomorrowland. The truth is that we did not conceive that a priest was playing tecnho but even so it was a moment of high, everyone was activated immediately, "explains Sandra Cao, an assistant to WYD, to EL MUNDO.

Born in Guimaraes, Peixoto was already a star in Portugal, accumulating more than 180,000 followers on Instagram, starring in commercials and touring with which he takes his sessions throughout the country.

In addition, he took the Military Chaplain course that took him to war territories such as Kosovo or Afghanistan and is currently parish priest of Laúndos and Amorin, two parishes of the Archpriesthood of Póvoa de Varzim / Vila do Conde, and chaplain at the School of Military Administration Practice.

  • Religion
  • Portugal
  • Pope Francis I

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