The Beatles were basically a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England, formed in 1960. In 1966, Lennon declared that they were more popular than Jesus Christ! Now, after more than forty years, the Vatican has made peace with the group.

Probably they had an idea that this is how the dice would fall – hence, in 1966, Lennon declared that they were more popular than Jesus Christ! Now, after more than forty years, the Vatican has made peace with the group. The Vatican’s official newspaper absolved John Lennon of his notorious remark, saying that “…it sounds merely like the boasting of an English working-class lad struggling to cope with unexpected success.”


It was in March 1966 that Lennon, a member of the Beatles group, claimed - “Christianity will go... it will vanish and shrink. We’re more popular than Jesus now — I don’t know which will go first, rock and roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.”

One year back, in June 1965, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II had appointed the four Beatles members the Order of the British Empire, MBE. The group spent the early part of 1968 in Rishikesh, studying transcendental meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Their time at the Maharishi’s ashram was highly productive from a musical standpoint because many of their later songs were composed there by Lennon, McCartney and Harrison.


The Beatles were basically a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England. It was formed in 1960 and consisted of John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals). Their clothes, styles, and statements made them trend-setters. Actually, in March 1957, John Lennon formed a group that was called The Quarryman. He met guitarist Paul McCartney in St Peter’s Church, on July 6, 1957 and included him in the group a few days later. On February 6, 1958, a 14-year-old guitarist George Harrison was invited to watch the group and he too joined up as lead guitarist after a rehearsal in March 1958. Lennon and McCartney both played rhythm guitar during that period.


After the band broke up in 1970, all four members embarked upon solo careers. In the late 1990s, George Harrison was diagnosed with lung cancer. He succumbed to the disease on November 29, 2001. John Lennon was shot and killed on December 8, 1980, in New York City. Two of the most memorable songs of the Beatles are ‘A hard day’s night’ and ‘I want to hold your hand’.