Bob Dylan meets Pope Leo XIV after anti-nuclear lyric quote
Bob Dylan met privately with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican during his Italian tour, in a brief encounter marked by greetings and lighthearted exchanges. Dylan reportedly gave the pope his memoir and received a rosary; Leo had previously cited
FaithTap · Nov 5, 2026 · 1 min read
Bob Dylan met Pope Leo XIV privately at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on Wednesday, November 4, during a break in his Italian tour. The brief encounter included lighthearted exchanges: Leo gave Dylan a rosary, and Dylan presented the pope with his memoir, *Chronicles: Volume One*. Leo has cited Dylan’s unreleased 1963 anti-nuclear protest song “Go Away You Bomb” in a book on peace, reflecting his opposition to nuclear weapons. Vatican official Antonio Spadaro arranged the meeting. Dylan also met Pope John Paul II in 1997, when he performed at a church event in Italy.