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Bob Dylan Meets With Pope Leo XIV in a Private Audience
Pope Leo XIV held a brief private audience with Bob Dylan on Wednesday, greeting him and exchanging a few lighthearted remarks. The meeting drew attention to the pope’s interest in music and peace, themes reflected in his writing and public encounters with artists.
Leo’s book, *Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift*, quotes Dylan’s unpublished 1963 protest song “Go Away You Bomb” and praises pacifist Dorothy Day. Dylan wrote the song for Izzy Young, who had asked songwriters to address nuclear weapons; its handwritten-corrected lyrics were auctioned by Christie’s in 2013. The pope gave Dylan a rosary, while Dylan presented him with his autobiography, *Chronicles: Volume One*.
In short
- Pope Leo XIV met Bob Dylan in a brief private audience.
- The pope’s book quotes Dylan’s unpublished 1963 anti-bomb song.
- They exchanged a rosary and Dylan’s autobiography.
Explained simply
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter whose songs have often addressed war, protest and social change. In 1963, he wrote “Go Away You Bomb”, an unpublished song about nuclear weapons, at the request of folk music promoter Izzy Young.
Pope Leo XIV has written about peace and disarmament, and his book quotes Dylan’s song. Leo has also praised Dorothy Day, a journalist and activist known for her pacifist beliefs. These links help explain why music and peace were themes in the pair’s meeting.