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Patti Smith meets Pope Leo XIV in Vatican audience
On 31 July 2026, American singer‑songwriter‑poet Patti Smith attended a private audience with Pope Leo XIV in the Apostolic Palace, Vatican City. The meeting, lasting about 40 minutes, was described by Vatican under‑secretary Antonio Spadaro as feeling more like a conversation between two old friends. Both Smith and the Pope are native Chicagoans.
During the audience the Pope asked Smith whether she spoke Italian, to which she replied that she only spoke English. Smith was accompanied by Spadaro, who posted video of the encounter on X. Earlier in May 2026 Smith had inaugurated the Holy See’s pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, performing a “Sonic Prayer” with the Soundwalk Collective.
Smith’s ties to the Vatican date back to an audience with Pope Francis in April 2013 and a performance for him in 2014. After Pope Francis’s death in April 2025 she posted a poem comparing him to a dandelion. The July meeting highlighted the cultural dialogue between a leading figure of punk music and the Catholic Church.
Entities
Antonio Spadaro · Chicago · Patti Smith · Pope Leo XIV · Soundwalk Collective · Vatican · Vatican City · Venice Biennale
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 11 SOURCES] Patti Smith met Pope Francis in April 2013 and performed for him in 2014. mymotherlode.com · srnnews.com · agencia.ecclesia.pt · www.em.com.br · www.onetz.de · +6 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] The audience lasted about 40 minutes. mymotherlode.com · srnnews.com · www.americamagazine.org · bigcheese1079.com · seacoastoldies.com · +3 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] During the audience, Pope Leo asked Patti Smith if she spoke Italian; she replied she only spoke English. seacoastoldies.com · www.sunny1079.com · www.kshe95.com · mymotherlode.com · srnnews.com · +4 more
- [● 7 SOURCES] Patti Smith performed at the inauguration of the Holy See’s pavilion at the Venice Biennale on May 8, 2026. mymotherlode.com · srnnews.com · agencia.ecclesia.pt · www.em.com.br · www.onetz.de · +2 more
- [● 10 SOURCES] After Pope Francis’s death in April 2025, Patti Smith posted a poem comparing him to a dandelion. mymotherlode.com · srnnews.com · agencia.ecclesia.pt · www.em.com.br · www.onetz.de · +5 more
- [● 19 SOURCES] Father Antonio Spadaro accompanied Patti Smith to the audience. www.radioroma.it · seacoastoldies.com · www.sunny1079.com · www.kshe95.com · mymotherlode.com · +12 more
- [● 18 SOURCES] Pope Leo XIV met with Patti Smith at the Vatican on July 31, 2026. www.radioroma.it · seacoastoldies.com · www.sunny1079.com · www.kshe95.com · mymotherlode.com · +11 more
- [● 20 SOURCES] Both Patti Smith and Pope Leo XIV are natives of Chicago, United States. www.radioroma.it · seacoastoldies.com · www.sunny1079.com · www.kshe95.com · mymotherlode.com · +15 more
- [● 5 SOURCES] Patti Smith met Pope Leo XIV in a private audience at the Apostolic Palace on July 31, 2026. bigcheese1079.com · seacoastoldies.com · krmg.com · www.sunny1079.com · kixi.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Smith publicly supports legal abortion and LGBT rights, criticizing the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade. www.lifesitenews.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Patti Smith performed a “Sonic Prayer” at the Holy See’s Pavilion inauguration at the Venice Biennale on May 8, 2026. www.lifesitenews.com · bigcheese1079.com · www.europesays.com · www.estadao.com.br
- [● 5 SOURCES] Pope Leo XIV asked Patti Smith if she spoke Italian during the audience. bigcheese1079.com · seacoastoldies.com · www.sunny1079.com · kixi.com · krmg.com