Musician, poet and author Patti Smith met with Pope Leo at the Vatican on Friday.
Video posted by Vatican News shows the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer almost speechless as she shakes the Pope’s hand. Later in the clip she sits down with him at his desk, and he asks her first if she speaks English and then if she speaks Italian.
“No, I’m sorry,” she says about speaking Italian. “I’m pure American.”
“The agenda of #PapaLeãoXIV begins to pick up the pace again after the rest period,” read the caption of the post. “On the morning of this Friday, July 31, the Pontiff received, in the Vatican, the American singer, songwriter, and writer #PattiSmith.”
Father Antonio Spadaro, who accompanied Smith, also posted video of the meeting on X.
“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,” he wrote. “Together. Today. For 40 minutes. When every single word had its own weight and its own lightness.”
Smith wrapped a European tour on Wednesday in Milan, Italy. She’ll next play the CBGB Festival in Brooklyn on Sept. 26.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
