Final answer:
Franz Liszt was conferred as the lay priest by the pope in 1865, and this event influenced his later musical compositions, blending religious and secular themes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pope conferred Franz Liszt as the lay priest in the year 1865. Liszt was a renowned composer and virtuoso pianist who decided to join the ecclesiastical state later in his life. On April 25, 1865, Liszt received the four minor orders, which are the preliminary stages before becoming a full priest, although he never proceeded to the higher orders. This event took place in the Vatican, and it allowed him to be referred to as Abbé Liszt. His commitment to the Church had a significant influence on his later compositions, and he continued to compose religious music alongside his secular works.