Music legend Bob Dylan visits Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican

This meeting follows Pope Leo’s previous reference to an unpublished song by Dylan, “Go Away You Bomb,” in his 2026 book, “Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift.” The Pope used lyrics from the song, which critiques the development of nuclear weapons, to highlight concerns about rearmament.

Accompanying Dylan were Vatican officials Rev. Antonio Spadaro and Andrea Monda. Spadaro, who previously hosted Patti Smith for an audience with the Pope, described the meeting as a private conversation.

According to Spadaro, Dylan is familiar with the works of St. Augustine of Hippo, a significant spiritual influence on Pope Leo. Dylan has previously referenced St. Augustine in his 1967 song, “I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine.”

Dylan, a Nobel Prize laureate for Literature (2016), appeared in a black hoodie and loose tie during the meeting. He previously performed for Pope John Paul II in Bologna, Italy, in 1997.

Born Robert Zimmerman in Minnesota to a Jewish family, Dylan publicly embraced Christianity in 1979. More recently, he has described himself as a “religious person” who engages in scripture reading, meditation, and prayer, as stated in a 2022 interview.

Dylan’s current Italian tour included a performance in Milan on Monday and a scheduled concert in Rome on Thursday. During a recent performance, he sang “Tryin’ to Get to Heaven,” a song reflecting on a desire for spiritual redemption.