Patti Smith’s “Sonic Prayer” Inaugurates the Holy See Pavilion at the Venice Biennale: A Descent into Profanity
Vatican News portal reports that on May 8, 2026, the Holy See Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale will be inaugurated by Patti Smith, an artist known for her counter-cultural and often anti-establishment background, presenting a “Sonic Prayer” alongside the Soundwalk Collective. The project, titled “The Ear Is The Eye Of The Soul,” draws inspiration from Hildegard of Bingen and aims to explore listening as an artistic, spiritual, and human experience across two Venetian venues. This event, promoted by the Dicastery for Culture and Education and commissioned by Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, exemplifies the post-conciliar Church’s relentless pursuit of relevance through secular cultural engagement, substituting authentic Catholic liturgy and doctrine with profane artistic expressions that border on syncretism and outright irreverence.




