L'Osservatore Romano via AP

Patti Smith shakes hands with Pope Francis at the Vatican on April 10, 2013.

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Patti Smith, artist and punk rock pioneer, met Pope Francis at the end of his weekly general audience, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Wednesday.

Smith, who is not a Catholic, told the media afterwards that she found the new pontiff "very interesting" and "liked him a lot."

The singer-songwriter will be in Rome until April 25 performing at the Rome Auditorium.

- The Associated Press, AFP contributed to this post

Related Links:

• Slideshow: The election of Pope Francis
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Emilio Morenatti / AP

Hooded penitents from the La Paz brotherhood walk to the church to take part in a procession in Seville, Spain, on March 24, 2013.

Christian believers around the world are marking the Holy Week of Easter in celebration of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. On Sunday, hundreds of processions were held in towns and cities across Spain.

In his Palm Sunday service at the Vatican, Pope Francis appealed to the crowd to shun corruption and reach out to "the humble, the poor, the forgotten."

Eloy Alonso / Reuters

Women wearing traditional mantilla dresses smoke outside a church before taking part in the Brotherhood procession of "Los Estudiantes" (The Students) at the start of Holy Week in Oviedo, northern Spain, on March 24, 2013.

Emilio Morenatti / AP

"Costaleros" from "La Estrella" brotherhood, wait their turn to carry over their backs the portable dais platform which supports a statue of Jesus Christ during a procession in Seville on March 24, 2013.

Marcelo Del Pozo / Reuters

Penitents pass a man with a dog as they walk to a church before taking part in the procession of "La Paz" (Peace) brotherhood during Holy Week in the Andalusian capital of Seville, March 24, 2013.

Jon Nazca / Reuters

Film actor and director Antonio Banderas, second right, sings a song to the Virgin inside a church as he takes part as a penitent in the "Lagrimas and Favores" brotherhood in a Palm Sunday procession in Malaga on March 24, 2013.

Cristina Quicler / AFP - Getty Images

A penitent of the "La Paz" brotherhood holds a religious item with an image of the Virgin Mary as he takes part in a procession in Seville on March 24, 2013.

Emilio Morenatti / AP

A waiter tries to see from a window as the procession of "La Paz" brotherhood passes along a street in Seville on March 24, 2013.

Eloy Alonso / Reuters

Spanish legionnaires carry a statue of the Christ of the Mercy into church after the Palm Sunday procession of the "Estudiantes" brotherhood was suspended due to rain in Oviedo on March 24, 2013.

Jon Nazca / Reuters

A crying woman is comforted by fellow penitents inside a church where they took shelter from the rain during the "Lagrimas y Favores" (Tears and Favors) brotherhood Palm Sunday procession in Malaga on March 24, 2013.

Jon Nazca / Reuters

Penitents light their candles as they take part in the "Humildad" (Humility) brotherhood Palm Sunday procession in Malaga on March 24, 2013.

Gabriel Bouys / AFP - Getty Images

Pope Francis kisses a child after a Mass at the Vatican's St. Peter's Square as part of the Palm Sunday celebration on March 24.

By F. Brinley Bruton and Claudio Lavanga, NBC News

Pope Francis on Sunday led his first major service since his election, calling on the crowd to shun corruption and reach out to "the humble, the poor, the forgotten."

"Let us look around: How many wounds are inflicted upon humanity by evil! Wars, violence, economic conflicts that hit the weakest, greed for money, power, corruption, divisions, crimes against human life and against creation," he said.

The new pope invoked the wisdom of his grandmother and used simple language at the Palm Sunday service, which marks the start of the Holy Week of Easter in celebration of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Pope Francis departed from his prepared text, and when he referred to wealth, said: "You can't take it with you, my grandmother used to say."

Read the full story. 

Gabriel Bouys / AFP - Getty Images

People carry palm fronds as they arrive in St. Peter's Square.

Max Rossi / Reuters

Pope Francis uses an aspergillum to sprinkle holy water as a blessing.

Alessandro Bianchi / Reuters

The faithful gather in St. Peter's Square for Pope Francis' Palm Sunday Mass at the Vatican.

Slideshow: The election of Pope Francis

Gregorio Borgia / AP

Cardinals from around the world gathered in the Vatican to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

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Osservatore Romano via EPA

Pope Francis waves to the crowd at St. Peter's Square during his first Angelus prayer at the Vatican on March 17.

Max Rossi / Reuters

Newly elected Pope Francis appears at the window of his future private apartment to bless the faithful gathered below in St. Peter's Square during the Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican.

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

Crowds fill St. Peter's Square as live footage of Pope Francis is projected on a giant screen on March 17.

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

Women rush into St. Peter's Square to see Pope Francis give his first Angelus blessing on March 17 in Vatican City.

Osservatore Romano via Reuters

Pope Francis greets the crowds after conducting a mass in the Saint Anna Church inside the Vatican on March 17.

Slideshow: The election of Pope Francis

Dmitry Lovetsky / AP

Cardinals from around the world gathered in the Vatican to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

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Breaking with tradition, Pope Francis delivered off-the-cuff remarks instead of reading from a written speech during his first Sunday window appearance before a crowd of 150,000 in St. Peter’s Square.

Earlier in the day, he made an impromptu appearance to the public from a side gate of the Vatican, startling passersby and prompting cheers. Continue reading AP article.

Related Links:

• PHOTOS: The election of Pope Francis
• Pope Francis: His life before the papacy
• A look inside the walls of Vatican City

Latincontent / Getty Images

Argentine goldsmith Juan Carlos Pallarols works on a silver cross he is making for Pope Francis, on March 14, 2013 in Buenos Aires. Pallarols is working on a silver chalice, a customized pen and a silver cross he will give as presents to the newly elected pope. Pallarols, who will travel to Rome on Sunday, had previously made a customized chalice for Benedict XVI.

Latincontent / Getty Images

Detail of the silver cross Argentine goldsmith Juan Carlos Pallarols made for Pope Francis.

Related:

The pope's to-do list; 7 challenges facing Francis

Pope likely to back status quo on gays, abortion

Meet the new pope: Francis is humble leader who takes bus to work

Full coverage of Pope Francis from NBC News

Luca Bruno / AP

The faithful gather in 2005 near St. Peter's to witness Pope John Paul II's body being carried into the Basilica for public viewing.

Michael Sohn / AP

St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, on March 13, 2013.

By Carlo Dellaverson, NBC News

In 2005, visitors packed into the expansive boulevard leading up to St. Peter’s Square as Pope John Paul II’s body was carried into the crowd for public viewing in the days following his death. Taken nearly two years before the iPhone debuted, the photo is striking now for its appearance straight out of another era.

For anyone who has ever been to a concert, the photo at bottom, taken Tuesday night as Pope Francis made his inaugural appearance on the Vatican balcony, seems almost ordinary. The two, taken together, reflect a world changing, even as some ancient traditions stay the same.

Also see:

• PHOTOS: The election of Pope Francis
• Pope Francis: His life before the papacy
• A look inside the walls of Vatican City

AFP - Getty Images

Argentina's Jorge Bergoglio (L), elected Pope Francis I, appearing at the window of St Peter's Basilica's balcony after being elected the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 at the Vatican. Read the full story.

Slideshow: The election of Pope Francis

Dmitry Lovetsky / AP

See more images from the Vatican.

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By John Brecher, Sr. Multimedia Editor, NBC News

What do you if you're an American Catholic and you happen to be in Rome during a papal conclave? If you're Angelique Porres, you brave cold, rainy weather and stand in St. Peter's Square to watch for smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel. The opportunity to maybe see a newly-elected pope emerge "is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for us." "The future of our faith is here," she added, "It's everything." Watch this video to see other Americans talk about their encounter with papal history in Vatican City.  Read the full story.

Massimo Percossi / EPA

US faithful hold signs as the wait for the first smoke in Saint Peter Square, Vatican City, 12 March 2013. At right, a woman holds a sign putting forward Len Brennan, a fictional bishop from the TV comedy 'Father Ted', for Pope.

Slideshow: Electing a pope

Andrew Medichini / AP

Cardinals from around the world gather in the Vatican to elect the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

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Alessandro Di Meo / EPA

The Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, Pope's summer residence, on the outskirts of Rome. Pope Benedict XVI will officially step down on Feb. 28. On the last day of his pontificate, the Pope is due to take a helicopter to Castel Gandolfo where he will stay during the conclave.

Alessandro Di Meo / EPA

Gardens at Castel Gandolfo

By Alastair Jamieson, Staff writer, NBC News

Pope Benedict will leave his residence inside the Vatican and travel by helicopter to his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, about 15 miles south-east of Rome at about 4.55 p.m. local time (10:55 a.m. ET) Thursday. His papacy will officially end at 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET).

After stepping down, the pope will keep his name, His Holiness Benedict XVI, but get a new official title, "Emeritus Pope." The Vatican on Tuesday said he would wear a simple white cassock and swap his traditional red shoes for a pair of brown leather loafers he was given on his trip to Leon in Mexico last year. Continue reading.

Editor's note: These pictures were taken on Feb. 20 and 21.

Gregorio Borgia / AP

A grotto

Alessandro Di Meo / EPA

The Chinese Room

Alessandro Di Meo / EPA

A light switch bears the Papal seal.

Alessandro Di Meo / EPA

Details of a chair inside the Chinese Room

Max Rossi / Reuters

A view of Castel Gandolfo lake is seen from inside the summer residence of Pope Benedict XVI in Castel Gandolfo.

Franco Origlia / Getty Images

The Apostolic Palace and the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo on Lake Albano will be Pope Benedict XVI's residence during the next Conclave, in Rome, Italy.

Related content:

• 'It seemed like the Lord was sleeping': In final speech, pope tells of 'choppy seas'
• Pope asks enthusiastic Vatican crowd to pray for him as well as successor
• Pope surprises the world, says that he will step down

Slideshow: Pope Benedict XVI's departure

Gabriel Bouys / AFP - Getty Images

The pope delivers his final audience in St. Peter's Square as he prepares to stand down.

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