Pope receives black-clad Bob Dylan

Vatican City, on Wednesday, witnessed a historic meeting between Pope Leo XIV and renowned American musician Bob Dylan. The 85-year-old singer-songwriter, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, donned a black hooded sweater during the brief audience at the Vatican. The Vatican News website reported that the meeting comprised of simple greetings and a few lighthearted exchanges.

In the spirit of camaraderie, Pope Leo presented Dylan with a rosary, while the singer gifted the head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics his autobiography. Notably, Pope Leo, the first US-born pontiff, had previously quoted a Bob Dylan lyric in the preface of a book about disarmament that he released earlier in the year. Pope Leo, who is 71 years old, has consistently taken staunch anti-war stances and has had disagreements with US President Donald Trump over his criticism of the Middle East conflict.

This is not the first time Pope Leo and Bob Dylan have crossed paths. Back in 1997, Dylan performed at a prayer vigil for young people hosted by John Paul II. Dylan, who released his debut album in 1963, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016.