Roman Catholic Priest Guilherme Peixoto DJs at a party organised at Laundos, a civil parish in Povoa do Varzim, northern Portugal in the summer of 2019. Jorge Fernando da Silva/Handout via REUTERS
MONTERREY, Mexico, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Under sweeping stage lights in Monterrey, Mexico, a packed dance floor pulses as a Catholic priest in a clerical collar raises one hand from the stage, electronic beats thundering through the hall.
Hundreds move in unison as Father Guilherme Peixoto looks out over the crowd - not from a pulpit, but from behind turntables.
Peixoto, who hails from Portugal, has played at some of the world's most famous clubs. Now he's touring Latin America, filling venues from Colombia to Mexico - home to the world's second-largest Catholic population.
Each time Peixoto, a career clergyman, steps onto the stage, the moment carries weight.
"It's a different energy and I think in our life the balance is very important," Peixoto said backstage at the downtown Monterrey venue, packed shoulder-to-shoulder with about 300 young revelers and a few priests there to enjoy his set.
"We have time for silence, time to listen to the voice of God ... and also time to share the message of God," he added.
Peixoto is touring Latin America while promoting his latest EP, Si Tuvieras Fe, released on Dec. 5. He has gained international recognition and built a global following as a DJ, particularly among young people in Latin America, where the Church's numbers have been in decline over the past decade.
That balance between "adrenaline" and "contemplation" remains central to how he views his dual roles. His electronic tracks - heavy beats layered with spiritual messages - include hits like "Lift up the fallen" and "Protegeme Senor".
His sets feature religious symbols glowing across the club, videos of the late Pope Francis and, in his Mexico shows, images of the revered Virgin of Guadalupe.
Peixoto's unlikely rise to fame began two decades ago, when he launched a "parish bar" in Portugal to help pay off church debts. As popularity for the events exploded, he enrolled in DJ classes.
For Peixoto, it has never been about breaking Church rules, but about building community. If his sold-out shows are an indication, the message has resonated.
"For me, there is always something special in electronic music. It's the respect, there is no judgment on the dance floor," Peixoto said. "As I always say, it's an amazing image for the world."
In Monterrey, Peixoto plays for a couple of hours, wrapping up around 2 a.m. The night continues, but Peixoto doesn't stay for the after party. Instead, bright and early the next morning, he stands beside Mexican Archbishop Rogelio Cabrera for mass at Monterrey's metropolitan cathedral, just three blocks from the venue of his show the night before.
Passing out the Eucharist in traditional robes, it would be hard to guess that Peixoto was behind the turntables just a few hours earlier.
"I know it is not normal for a priest to have this kind of opportunity," Peixoto said. "So it's gratitude and a responsibility to share something special."
(Reporting by Daniel Becerril; Writing by Cassandra Garrison; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
