A prerecorded message from Pope Leo XIV inaugurated a pulsating electronic dance event outside the 14th century St Elisabeth Cathedral here on Saturday, blending faith and festival in a bid to woo the faithfuls younger flock.
The gathering, organised by the Archdiocese of Košice to mark Archbishop Bernard Bobers 75th birthday and the Jubilee of Young People, drew hundreds of revellers to the cathedrals Gothic facade, transformed into a kaleidoscope of laser beams and projection mapping.
As choir voices swelled in the background, the pontiff appeared on towering LED screens, his words echoing across the square: “Dear young people, with joy I greet you as you gather before the splendid cathedral of Košice, which is a beating heart of faith and hope.”
He urged the crowd to become “witnesses of communion, builders of bridges and sowers of trust”, before intoning the apostolic blessing: “May the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit come upon you and remain with you always. Amen.”
The divine invocation barely faded before Portuguese priest turned DJ Father Guilherme Peixoto, 51, dropped the beat, unleashing melodic techno that fused spiritual motifs with unreleased tracks from his forthcoming EP, Integral Ecology.
His signature remix of the Popes address, titled Dear Young People, sampled the Holy Fathers phrases over surging synths, prompting cheers from a predominantly youthful audience swaying in ecstatic unity. “Electronic music is a privileged way to build a better world,” Peixoto has often said, a philosophy echoed in the events aim to foster inclusion, tolerance and respect on the dance floor.
Though the footage only erupted online in recent days, amassing over a million likes on TikTok where Peixotos 1.9 million strong following devoured it, the event unfolded on 8 November following a preceding Mass led by Bober, president of the Slovak Episcopal Conference, alongside apostolic nuncio Archbishop Nicola Girasoli.
Catholic leaders mingled with the throng, underscoring the Vaticans endorsement of this audacious outreach to Generation Z, a demographic increasingly adrift from traditional pews.
Viral clips, shared across Instagram, Reddit and X, have ignited global fascination and debate. Supporters hail it as a masterstroke of evangelisation, with one Redditor quipping, “Rave rules and church rules are the same: love, acceptance, unity and transcendence.”
Critics, however, decry the fusion as sacrilegious, tying raves to hedonism and excess, and lamenting a perceived dilution of doctrine. Fact checks swiftly dispelled rumours of the Popes physical presence or direct hosting, clarifying his virtual cameo while affirming the dioceses stewardship.
For the Chicago born Leo XIV, the first American pontiff elected in May, the episode reinforces his progressive bent, from canonising millennial saint Carlo Acutis as “Gods influencer” to embracing pop culture touchstones.
