Bob Dylan meets Pope Leo XIV at Vatican, exchanges rosary and autobiography
Bob Dylan met Pope Leo XIV briefly on 5 Nov in Vatican City, receiving a rosary while gifting the pope his autobiography Chronicles: Volume One. The pope quoted lyrics from Dylan’s unpublished 1963 protest song in his 2026 book Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift. Dylan, 85, wore a black hoodie and loose tie during the encounter, which was accompanied by Rev. Antonio Spadaro and editor Andrea Monda. Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S. pope, is 71 years old.
Key facts
- Dylan released his first album in 1963 and won the Nobel Prize for literature in 2016.
- Dylan is on tour and will perform in Rome on 5 Nov.
- Pope Leo XIV quoted Dylan’s song "Go Away You Bomb" in the preface to a Vatican publishing house book on nuclear weapons.
- Dylan previously performed for Pope John Paul II in Bologna in 1997.
- The meeting consisted of greetings and lighthearted exchanges.
Summarised with AI from 5 sourcesRead our AI policy
Why it matters
The meeting links a Nobel laureate with the Vatican’s peace advocacy.
What changed
First published from ANSA English, Euronews, The Straits Times, DR Nyheder and ABC News (US)