In September 1997, two of the seminal figures of the second half of the Twentieth Century met in Bologna, Italy.
During the 23rd Eucharistic Congress in the city, around 400,000 young Catholics gathered for a youth event with the pope in which popular music singers took part in an effort to create an encounter between them and the church.
At the Piazza Maggiore, Bob Dylan was amongst the lineup of performers, which also included Andrea Bocelli.
Dylan sang a number of classic hits including ‘Knockin on Heaven’s Door’ and ‘Forever Young’, before greeting the pope, removing his hat in the process.
John Paul II went out of his way to address Dylan’s presence in his address to the crowd, quoting Bob Dylan’s famous song Blowin’ in the Wind’ .
One person who was not quite won over was Cardinal Ratzinger, who later wrote:
There was reason to be skeptical, and I was.Indeed, in a certain sense, I still am today.
