Vatican Denies Pope Francis Said 'There Is No Hell'

The Pope has been sensationally quoted as saying hell does not exist and souls not worthy of heaven merely disappear instead of being tormented.

But the Vatican quickly denied the apparent dramatic theological shift, accusing atheist reporter Eugenio Scalfari of 'reconstructing' his words.

Catholic teaching dictates that 'immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell'.