Padre Guilherme. (Credit: Instagram/@padre.guilherme)
BEIRUT — Padre Guilherme, a Catholic priest and DJ, has drawn wide attention in Lebanon in recent days ahead of his scheduled appearance in Beirut.
His program includes a Mass on Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) and a concert at Beirut’s AHM club at 10:30 p.m.
On Jan. 4, a group of 18 people, including religious figures, filed a petition with Beirut’s summary judge seeking to ban the concert. They argued that it “violates morals and Church teachings and distorts the image of the Christian religion and its rites,” according to the filing.
On Friday, the court rejected the petition, saying the plaintiffs failed to show they represented “any official religious authority” and therefore lacked the legal standing to request a ban.
Despite the controversy, the Mass at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik has reached full capacity, and registration is now closed, the university said Friday. The AHM club also announced a tenth wave of tickets, priced at $95.
In a statement released Friday evening, the AHM club said that “security measures have been fully reviewed, strengthened, and coordinated with the relevant parties, Lebanese authorities, and security forces.” It also stated that “no religious symbols will be displayed on the screens and Padre Guilhem will not wear religious attire.”
Padre Guilherme, whose full name is Guilherme Peixoto, is a 51-year-old Portuguese Catholic priest who has worked as a DJ since the early 2020s. His performances blend electronic and religious music. Often appearing in clubs in his cassock, he has gained international attention. He has more than 2.6 million followers on Instagram.
