Pope Francis has invited Patti Smith, the “Godmother of Punk,” to perform at this year’s Vatican Christmas concert, according to The Independent.
Smith will be one of 18 acts to perform Dec. 13 at Rome’s Conciliation Auditorium, the British newspaper reported. She met Francis at the Vatican in 2013 (pictured above) and said that, while she is not Catholic, she found the new pontiff “very interesting.”
Smith, a heavily influential figure in New York City’s 1970s punk rock scene, is known for, among other things, the lyric “Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine” in her song, “Gloria.”
According to The Independent, some Catholic groups are already protesting her planned appearance.
