Bob Dylan and Pope Leo XIV Meet at the Vatican

Bob Dylan met Pope Leo XIV in a private audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

The Vatican shared a photo of the two shaking hands on Instagram. The pope wore white robes, while Dylan wore a hooded black zip-up under a jacket.

“Pope Leo XIV met with American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan in a private audience on Wednesday, November 4,” the caption reads.

Other photos show them talking at a table, posing in front of artwork and speaking while Dylan leans against an umbrella.

According to Vatican News, the meeting was “brief, consisting of greetings and a few lighthearted exchanges.” The pope also apparently gave Dylan a rosary, and Dylan gave him a copy of his memoir, Chronicles: Volume One.

Leo became pope in May 2025 following the death of Pope Francis, becoming the first American-born cardinal to lead the Catholic Church. He recently voted by mail in the U.S. midterm elections, which ended with Democrats reclaiming control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Dylan, a 10-time Grammy winner, is scheduled to perform at the Palazzo dello Sport on Nov. 5 as part of his Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour. He has charted 81 entries on the Billboard 200, including five No. 1s.

Source: Billboard