By Karim Hammam
American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan met Pope Leo at the Vatican on Wednesday for a brief encounter at the Apostolic Palace, during which the two exchanged gifts.
Gifts exchanged
Dylan, 85, presented the Pope with a copy of his 2004 autobiography, Chronicles: Volume One, while Leo, 71, gave him a rosary.
Visit context
The meeting took place as Dylan was in Rome for the Italian leg of his Rough And Rowdy Ways tour, with a performance scheduled at the Palazzo dello Sport on Thursday. He wore an all-black outfit that included a hoodie with the hood up. Vatican News described the encounter as "brief," consisting of greetings and a few light-hearted exchanges.
Previous connections
Earlier this year, Pope Leo referenced Dylan in the preface of his book Disarmed And Disarming: Peace Is a Gift, quoting a line from Dylan's unreleased 1963 anti-nuclear song "Go Away You Bomb." Dylan previously met Pope John Paul II in 1997, when he performed for an estimated 300,000 young people at the 23rd National Eucharistic Congress in Bologna.
Pope Leo's cultural engagements
Since his election in May 2025, Pope Leo has met with a string of cultural figures, including actors Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Matthew McConaughey, director Spike Lee, and model Naomi Campbell.
Dylan's upcoming tour
Dylan is set to embark on a UK tour in December, featuring five dates at London's Royal Festival Hall, two at Blackpool Opera House, and shows in Sheffield, Birmingham, and Bournemouth. The concerts will be phone-free, with attendees required to place mobile devices in Yondr pouches.
Career highlights
One of the most acclaimed songwriters of all time, Dylan has won 10 Grammy Awards and received 38 additional nominations. He has scored six UK top-10 singles and nine UK number-one albums. His career began in 1962 with the single "Mixed-Up Confusion," and he rose to stardom in 1965 with hits such as "The Times They Are a-Changin'," "Subterranean Homesick Blues," and "Like A Rolling Stone."
