As luck would have it, two of the most influential men in the world are both named Bob; one is a Nobel Prize winner, and the other happens to be the Pope. Now, the two figures have crossed paths in an encounter of massive proportions. Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and Pope Leo XIV, whose birth name is Robert Prevost, recently met up in the Vatican.
The 85-year-old Dylan visited 71-year-old Prevost during a break between concert dates in Italy. The meeting, which was private, lasted about 10 minutes. The pair exchanged gifts during the get-together; the Pope presented Dylan a rosary, while the musician gifted the Pope a signed copy of his autobiography, Chronicles: Volume One, first published in 2004.
While they had previously never met in person, the pair had been in each other’s orbits. According to reports, Dylan had been wanting to speak with the Pope for some time. And Pope Leo quoted an unpublished protest song by Dylan in his recently published book Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift. Titled “Go Away You Bomb,” the song features the message: “I hate you cause yer man-made and man-owned, an’ man-handled,” which Pope Leo borrowed to warn humanity about nuclear weapons.
The images of the encounter also made waves for Dylan’s choice of clothes. Over the last couple of years, the singer has performed in near darkness, often with a black hood pulled over his head to conceal his face from the audience. Dylan visited the Pope wearing that same moody outfit, creating a stark contrast with the Pope’s pristine white robes and cheerful smile.
The meeting was arranged by Rev. Antonio Spadaro, a Vatican official, writer, and editor who has tried to narrow the wide gap between the church and global culture. As such, Dylan’s visit follows a meeting between Pope Leo and Patti Smith earlier this year. This also happened to be the second time Dylan has met a pope. In 1997, he played for Pope John Paul II during a concert in Bologna, Italy.
Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan and Pope Leo XIV, whose birth name is Robert Prevost, recently met up in the Vatican.
The 85-year-old Dylan visited 71-year-old Pope Leo during a break between concert dates in Italy.
The pair exchanged gifts during the get-together; the Pope presented Dylan with a rosary, while the musician gifted the Pope a signed copy of his autobiography.
Sources: Pope Leo receives Bob Dylan at the Vatican
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