Pope Leo XIV Meets Bob Dylan at the Vatican

Bob Dylan visited the Vatican on Wednesday during a break between concert dates in Italy and met Pope Leo XIV for a short private audience. The pope presented Dylan with a rosary, and Dylan gave the pontiff a copy of his autobiography, "Chronicles: Volume One."

The meeting was accompanied by Rev. Antonio Spadaro of the Vatican culture ministry and Andrea Monda, editor of L'Osservatore Romano. Spadaro said Dylan had requested the audience and noted the singer's familiarity with St. Augustine, a figure central to Leo's spirituality.

"Dylan wanted to speak with Leo, and the two met in private for a few minutes," Spadaro said.

Leo quoted lyrics from an unpublished 1963 protest song by Dylan, warning against nuclear armament in his 2026 book "Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift." Dylan, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2016, wore a black hoodie and loose tie during the encounter.

The visit follows previous papal meetings, including a 1997 performance for Pope John Paul II in Bologna. Dylan, born Robert Zimmerman, has spoken publicly about his religious practice, describing himself as a "religious person" who reads scripture, meditates and prays.