The official Vatican newspaper "L'Osservatore Romano" called the film "harmless entertainment", giving it a positive review and acknowledging that "the theme is always the same: a sect versus the Church, this time, the Church is on the side of the good guys." Beforehand, it had stated it would not approve the film, while "La Stampa" reported the Vatican would boycott it. However, it also quoted Archbishop Velasio De Paolis as saying a boycott would probably just have the "boomerang effect" of drawing more attention to "Angels & Demons" and making it more popular.