In an Easter Monday announcement, Fr Thomas Rossica, English language liason for the Holy See Press Office, has revealed that the Scalfari interview never took place, that Pope Francis never denied the existence of Hell, and that the whole incident was a seasonal hoax.

The idea, says Rossica, originated with one Sgnr Risus Paschalis, a Cypriot of Greek heritage who operates a ‘joke factory’ from a caravan park just south of Bari.

The Pope, said Fr Thomas, bitterly regrets the confusion caused, and has undertaken in the future to avoid religion and to restrict public statements at major feasts to inconsequential virtual signalling (like appeals for peace in the Middle East).

That way, says Rossica, no harm will be done.