Pope Leo XIV received American singer and songwriter Patti Smith in a July 31 audience.
Smith was accompanied by Father Antonio Spadaro, S.J., an undersecretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education. He tweeted:
There are unforgettable moments in life. Today I lived one of these. With #PattiSmith, with whom for years I have shared a simple and deep friendship, and #PapaLeone, the Holy Father, today an indispensable reference for anyone who still wants to hope in this world.
Together. Today. For 40 minutes. When every single word had its own weight and its own lightness.
In May, Smith inaugurated one of the two venues of the Holy See’s pavilion at the Venice Biennale, a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place every two years.