How It Went Down
Stereogum • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Bob Dylan met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, marking a significant cultural encounter nearly three decades after Dylan performed for Pope John Paul II in 1997.
- The meeting, arranged by Jesuit priest Antonio Spadaro, was private and informal, with Dylan arriving early and dressed casually, which the Pope accepted without issue.
- Spadaro also facilitated a recent audience between Patti Smith and Pope Leo, highlighting the Pope's appreciation for American music and shared Chicago roots with both artists.
- Pope Leo XIV has shown a strong interest in Dylan's music, referencing his songs in speeches against war and nuclear rearmament, reflecting a cultural and ideological connection.
- Dylan's complex history with Christianity, including a born-again phase in the late 1970s, adds depth to his interactions with the Pope and the Vatican's engagement with contemporary artists.
