Patti Smith, the renowned rock musician, was visibly moved during a private audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on July 31, 2026. The meeting, which lasted approximately 40 minutes, resulted in Smith posting on social media that the encounter would "forever produce a smile." The pope acknowledged familiarity with Smith's 1979 song "Wave," which references a pope who served only 33 days.

Smith's connection to the Vatican has grown through her friendship with Rev. Antonio Spadaro, an undersecretary in the Vatican's culture ministry. Though not Catholic herself, Smith has expressed admiration for Pope Francis's humanitarian values and previously met and performed for him in 2013–2014. Following Francis's death in April 2025, she published a tribute poem. The meeting with Pope Leo XIV marked the second time this week the pontiff had engaged with a musical figure, following a concert performance by tenor Andrea Bocelli.