VATICAN—Pope Leo told the press Saturday that Traditionis Custodes was a big joke. According to Leo, the 2021 document restricting the use of the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass was a “prank.”

Leo made the claim in the midst of an impromptu press conference that occurred after an event in the St. Paul VI Audience Hall. His statement was prompted on by a French journalist asking for clarification of his statements earlier this week, which advised the French bishops’ conference to allow “generous inclusion” of the TLM for those who desire it.

The journalist asked, “Holy Father, how do you see the bishops accommodating people devoted to the Traditional Rite under the current legislation of [TC]?”

Leo, without flinching, responded “Are people still talking about that document? That was five years ago. Can we move on?”

Several journalists shouted over each other for clarification, to which Leo responded, “Traditionis Custodes was all a social experiment,” said the pontiff, before correcting himself and clarifying, “a prank, I mean. Everyone was fooled!”

Amidst more journalistic shouting, Leo added: “My predecessor really loved a good laugh. Oh, everyone should have seen the looks on their faces, haha.”

Journalists then began to ask whether Leo would rescind the document, but at that point the Holy Father was already walking to his next event, thus ending the press conference.