The Vatican has forgiven The Beatles for John Lennon's controversial 1996 claim that the band was "bigger than Jesus".
Imdb.com reports that an article in the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano has praised the group's career, saying the majesty of their music rendered the Jesus comment "meaningless".
"It's true, they took drugs, swept up by their success, they lived dissolute and uninhibited lives. They even said they were more famous than Jesus. But listening to their songs, all of this seems distant and meaningless. Their beautiful melodies, which changed forever pop music and still give us emotions, live on like precious jewels," said the article.
The band was also described as "the longest-lasting, most consistent and representative phenomenon in the history of pop music".