Patti Smith meets Pope Leo XIV – The video

Patti Smith, fresh off the Italian dates of her tour, met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican during a private audience lasting around 40 minutes. The meeting, held on July 31 in the Apostolic Palace, brought together two very different figures who, according to those present, share a deep sensitivity to themes of peace, culture and human commitment. The visit was also documented by the Vatican, which released photos and video of the encounter.

Accompanying the singer was Father Antonio Spadaro, undersecretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education and a longtime friend of the artist, who like the pontiff hails from Chicago. From the very first moments, Patti Smith's strong emotion was plain to see: standing on the threshold of the Vatican library as Leo XIV came to greet her, the musician appeared to be smiling, betraying her emotion with a nervous laugh. She wore a cross around her neck. It was the Pope himself who broke the ice, joking: "You speak English too, don't you?", to which the singer promptly replied: "Certo, hi!".

Spadaro described the significance of the meeting in a message posted on social media: "When that door opened, something happened. A spark was lit: a moment made up of a few smiles and lightness, but also of deep emotion and a shared mission in this difficult world." According to the priest, the artist's initial emotion soon gave way to a spontaneous dialogue. "Two Americans, two citizens of Chicago. Two extraordinary figures whose voices speak of hope in a divided world: the 'priestess of rock', as Patti Smith is often called, and the Holy Father."
Spadaro went on to add: "A long audience that felt like a conversation between two people discovering they are old friends, sharing memories made of words and music, of dreams, visions and hopes both past and present."

For Patti Smith, an artist who over the course of her career has woven together poetry, spirituality and activism, the meeting with Pope Leo XIV marks a new chapter in a journey in which music has often become a tool for reflection and inner searching. It's a dimension that has accompanied her since her earliest days with "Horses", and one that has made her one of the most influential figures in contemporary rock culture.

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