The Nobel laureate, in Rome for a concert at the Palazzo dello Sport tomorrow, met the pontiff at the Apostolic Palace and exchanged gifts, months after Leo quoted one of his songs Pope Leo XIV received Bob Dylan at the Vatican on Wednesday afternoon, November 4, according to Vatican News. The 85-year-old American singer-songwriter and poet, a Nobel laureate in literature, was received at the Apostolic Palace during a tour that has brought him to Italy.The meeting was brief, the Vatican says, consisting of greetings and a few lighthearted exchanges. Dylan, who wore a black hooded sweatshirt, was given a rosary by the Pope. He gave the Pope a copy of Chronicles: Volume One, his autobiography. Why the Pope Knew His WorkThe encounter is not entirely a surprise. In July 2026, Leo quoted Dylan in the preface to a book published by the Vatican Publishing House (LEV), Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift, edited by the journalist Alessandro Banfi. According to Vatican News, the Pope used words from one of Dylan’s compositions, addressed figuratively to the atomic bomb, to issue a stern warning about global rearmament and the threat of nuclear weapons. The song is “Go Away You Bomb,” a protest piece written in 1963 at the height of Cold War tensions. It was never officially recorded or released on an album, and the original manuscript remained unpublished until it was discovered in 2013. Not Dylan’s First Papal EncounterDylan has met a pope before. In 1997 he was invited to perform at the 23rd National Eucharistic Congress in Bologna, in front of John Paul II and a crowd of about 300,000 young people. After three songs, including “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” he took off his cowboy hat, climbed the steps to the papal stage and exchanged a handshake and a few words with the Pope. In his speech to the young people, John Paul quoted “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and answered its question by saying there is only one road for man, the road of Jesus Christ. Dylan in RomeTomorrow, Thursday, November 5, Dylan performs at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome, as part of the autumn leg of his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour. The tour also includes stops in Milan and Bologna, and is known for its strict ban on recording with smartphones, so anyone going should expect to leave their phones in their pockets. The Rome date is at the PalaEUR arena in the EUR district. We haven’t checked ticket availability, so check with the official sellers if you’re thinking of going. Ph: Vatican Media 

 Pope Leo XIV received Bob Dylan at the Vatican on Wednesday afternoon, November 4, according to Vatican News. The 85-year-old American singer-songwriter and poet, a Nobel laureate in literature, was received at the Apostolic Palace during a tour that has brought him to Italy. The meeting was brief, the Vatican says, consisting of greetings and a few lighthearted exchanges. Dylan, who wore a black hooded sweatshirt, was given a rosary by the Pope. He gave the Pope a copy of Chronicles: Volume One, his autobiography. The encounter is not entirely a surprise. In July 2026, Leo quoted Dylan in the preface to a book published by the Vatican Publishing House (LEV), Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift, edited by the journalist Alessandro Banfi. According to Vatican News, the Pope used words from one of Dylan’s compositions, addressed figuratively to the atomic bomb, to issue a stern warning about global rearmament and the threat of nuclear weapons. The song is “Go Away You Bomb,” a protest piece written in 1963 at the height of Cold War tensions. It was never officially recorded or released on an album, and the original manuscript remained unpublished until it was discovered in 2013. Dylan has met a pope before. In 1997 he was invited to perform at the 23rd National Eucharistic Congress in Bologna, in front of John Paul II and a crowd of about 300,000 young people. After three songs, including “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” he took off his cowboy hat, climbed the steps to the papal stage and exchanged a handshake and a few words with the Pope. In his speech to the young people, John Paul quoted “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and answered its question by saying there is only one road for man, the road of Jesus Christ. Tomorrow, Thursday, November 5, Dylan performs at the Palazzo dello Sport in Rome, as part of the autumn leg of his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour. The tour also includes stops in Milan and Bologna, and is known for its strict ban on recording with smartphones, so anyone going should expect to leave their phones in their pockets. The Rome date is at the PalaEUR arena in the EUR district. We haven’t checked ticket availability, so check with the official sellers if you’re thinking of going. Ph: Vatican Media