Pope Leo meets Bob Dylan in a private audience in Rome
The two exchanged gifts during a brief meeting; the pope had earlier quoted Dylan's unreleased 1963 protest song in a book on peace.
Key facts
Story- Pope Leo XIV held a brief private audience with Bob Dylan in Rome on Wednesday.
- The pope had quoted Dylan's unpublished 1963 song "Go Away You Bomb" in his book on peace.
- The two exchanged gifts: a rosary from the pope and Dylan's memoir, Chronicles: Volume One.
Pope Leo XIV met Bob Dylan in a private audience in Rome on Wednesday. The meeting took place at the pope's official residence.
The encounter was brief, with greetings and a few lighthearted exchanges. The pope gave Dylan a rosary. Dylan gave the pope a copy of his memoir, Chronicles: Volume One.
The pope had already referred to Dylan's work. He quoted the unpublished 1963 protest song "Go Away You Bomb" in his book in which he argues that peace is a gift. He quoted the line "I hate you cause yer man-made and man-owned an' man-handled." The book also praises the pacifist Dorothy Day for her work for peace.
The song's handwritten and typed lyrics were sold by Christie's in the summer of 2013. Dylan wrote the song for Izzy Young of the Greenwich Village Folklore Center. Young has said that he had asked people he knew to write songs about the nuclear bomb. Dylan delivered his the next day.
Pope Leo has met several well-known musicians this year. In June, he met Bad Bunny while the singer was touring Spain. The pope said many people would want to see the singer rather than him, but that some would come to see the pope. In August, he met the Chicago-born singer Patti Smith. Smith wrote on Instagram that the moment would always bring a smile.
It is not known what was discussed beyond the greetings and light exchanges, or whether the two will meet again.
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