Jesuit priest shares details of Bob Dylan's meeting with Pope Leo XIV
Jesuit undersecretary Antonio Spadaro described the atmosphere of the recent encounter between Bob Dylan and Pope Leo XIV, confirming mutual interest and noting a shared reference to a 1967 Dylan song.
Jesuit priest Antonio Spadaro, who serves as undersecretary for culture and education at the Holy See, spoke with Bob Dylan specialist Ray Padleton about the singer's recent audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. Spadaro said the meeting was arranged after both parties expressed a desire to meet, adding that the pope was "completely open to it."
Spadaro described the interaction, noting that the two participants looked at each other with intensity. He also clarified why a 1967 Dylan song, "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine," was mentioned in commentary about the meeting, linking the pope’s identification with Augustinian tradition to the song's themes.
"As for anything else said at that table, it stays between the two of them," Spadaro said.
The interview was conducted via email and published on the Substack "Flagging Down the Double E’s," which focuses on Dylan-related content.