The Vatican has finally forgiven John Lennon for a boastful remark the rock icon made 42 years ago claiming that The Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ.

According to Reuters, the Vatican’s newspaper Osservatore Romano now says the 1966 quote was simply a boast by a young man coping with the fallout of instant fame.

“The remark by John Lennon, which triggered deep indignation mainly in the United States, after many years sounds only like a ‘boast’ by a young working-class Englishman faced with unexpected success, after growing up in the legend of Elvis and rock and roll,” the newspaper said.