In an unexpected display of outreach, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XVI delivered a video blessing to hundreds of ravers packed into a square at Kosice, Slovakia. The pontiff’s message appeared on the main stage screen, granting a holy seal of approval to the throngs of EDM revelers before the beat dropped.

The Holy Father surprised the crowd at the outdoor music festival in front of the city’s St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral on November 6, when he appeared on the giant LCD Screen above the DJ stage where his recorded remarks were accompanied with lasers and lights and the building crescendo of techno music as he said “Amen” to the crowd.

“United by the same faith, your presence is a tangible sign of the fraternity and peace that is instilled in our hearts by friendship with Christ,” Pope Leo said to the crowd.

The message was played at the start of the evening’s music, supplied by Guilherme Peixoto, a Portuguese priest who doubles as a DJ. The event was held in celebration of the 75th birthday of Archbishop Bernard Bober of Kosice.

After the thumping bass kicked in, snippets of Pope Leo’s message were spliced into the music while the crowd danced to the beat.

Mr. Peixoto posted the video on TikTok, which garnered over 1 million views and thousands of comments.

The appearance at the rave is characteristic of the newly installed pope.  He has quickly developed an image as relatable as his pastimes, which include watching the Chicago White Sox and playing Wordle.

The Pope’s surprise appearance has gone viral online as he is set to embark on his first international trip since assuming his place as the head of the Holy See. On Thanksgiving day, he begins a six-day itinerary across Turkey and Lebanon, which will include a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a Mass celebration in Istanbul, and a visit to the Beirut port that suffered a devastating explosion in 2020.