New Delhi: Pope Leo XIV hosted legendary musician Bob Dylan at his residence, the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, on Wednesday. Dylan, dressed in an all-black hoodie, gloves and carrying an umbrella, stood in contrast to the Pope’s white vestments.
The meeting took place during a break in the 85-year-old singer’s Italian tour. Dylan gifted the Pope a copy of his autobiography, Chronicles: Volume One, while Leo presented him with a rosary.
Dylan is scheduled to perform on Thursday at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome, one of several Italian stops on his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour.
The Pope has previously referred to the Nobel laureate’s work, quoting his unreleased anti-nuclear song Go Away You Bomb in the preface to a book titled Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift.
Pope Leo XIV met with American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan in a private audience on Wednesday, November 4. pic.twitter.com/7OAJcluj0n
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) November 4, 2026
“I hate you ‘cause yer man-made and man-owned, an’ man-handled,” reads the line quoted in the book, which warns the world against rearmament.
Also Read: Pope Leo XIV gets India. Rome shouldn’t listen to India only when Christians are threatened
A few holy reactions
The meeting also prompted reactions on social media, with users commenting on Dylan’s appearance and the unusual pairing.
“Just a couple of Bobs from the American MidWest,” a user said.
Just a couple of Bobs from the American MidWest.
— Robert Lusetich (@RobertLusetich) November 4, 2026
“Why does Bob Dylan look like Palpatine?” another user said.
Why does Bob Dylan look like Palpatine?
— Autism Capital 🧩 (@AutismCapital) November 4, 2026
“What a privilege it must he to meet his holiness; the pope is one lucky guy,” a user wrote
What a privilege it must he to meet his holiness; the pope is one lucky guy.
— Kaiet Braski (@KaietBraski) November 4, 2026
“The Pope meets Judas,” a user commented.
The Pope meets Judas
— Jerry Harlow (@jerryharlow) November 4, 2026
Written in 1963 amid the Cold War, the song was never recorded. Its typewritten lyrics remained unpublished until 2013, when they were discovered and put up for auction, according to The New York Times.
This was the second time Dylan had met a Pope. In 1997, he was invited to perform before Pope John Paul II and an audience of around 300,000 young people at the 23rd National Eucharistic Congress in Bologna, Italy.
Dylan performed four songs, including Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. He reportedly climbed onto the stage midway through the performance to greet John Paul II with a handshake and exchange a few words.