Tuesday, 10 November 2026 · Europe
EUR/USD 1.121 EUR/GBP 0.8355 EUR/CHF 0.9203 EUR/PLN 4.387 All rates →
Sign in · Join
EUROPES The European Report
European Edition Tuesday, 10 November 2026
LATEST Fujino’s double sparks WCL comeback win for Manchester City against Inter Le Flash →
Concerts

Patti Smith Left Speechless Meeting Pope Leo Before “Spark Was Lit”

Patti Smith Left Speechless Meeting Pope Leo Before “Spark Was Lit”

Vatican official Antonio Spadaro described the moment as "a conversation between two people discovering they were old friends." Patti Smith Left Speechless Meeting Pope Leo Before “Spark Was Lit” Eddie Fu

Punk rock’s unofficial patron saint, Patti Smith , privately met with fellow Chicago native Pope Leo XIV on Friday, July 31st. Relatably, Smith was almost speechless at first, but soon “a spark was lit” between the musician and the Pope, according to Vatican Undersecretary for Culture and Education Rev. Antonio Spadaro.

Spadaro, a longtime friend of Smith’s, described the “unforgettable moment” as “a conversation between two people discovering they were old friends, sharing memories woven from words and music, dreams, visions, and hopes, both from yesterday and for today.”

While Smith is not Catholic, she has been to the Vatican on multiple occasions. In 2014, she was invited to play Pope Francis’ Christmas concert. The living legend returned for the annual event in 2021.

When that door opened, something happened… a spark was lit, one that came with a few lighthearted moments, but also with a profound sense of emotion and of a shared mission in this challenging world. Two Americans. Two Chicagoans. Two remarkable figures whose voices speak hope to… pic.twitter.com/Ol9bOjr1dQ

More from Concerts