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The Crime of Galileo |
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Whereas you, Galileo, son of the late Vincenzio Galilei, of Florence,
aged seventy years, were denounced in 1615, to this Holy Office, for holding
as true a false doctrine taught by many, namely, that the sun is immovable
in the center of the world, and that the earth moves, and also with a
diurnal motion; also, for having pupils whom you instructed in the same
opinions; also, for maintaining a correspondence on the same with some
German mathematicians; also for publishing certain letters on the sun-spots,
in which you developed the same doctrine as true; also, for answering
the objections which were continually produced from the Holy Scriptures,
by glozing the said Scriptures according to your own meaning; and whereas
thereupon was produced the copy of a writing, in form of a letter professedly
written by you to a person formerly your pupil, in which, following the
hypothesis of Copernicus, you include several propositions contrary to
the true sense and authority of the Holy Scriptures; therefore (this Holy
Tribunal being desirous of providing against the disorder and mischief
which were thence proceeding and increasing to the detriment of the Holy
Faith) by the desire of his Holiness and the Most Emminent Lords, Cardinals
of this supreme and universal Inquisition, the two propositions of the
stability of the sun, and the motion of the earth, were qualified by the
Theological Qualifiers as follows:
Therefore . . . , invoking the most holy name of our Lord Jesus Christ
and of His Most Glorious Mother Mary, We pronounce this Our final sentence:
We pronounce, judge, and declare, that you, the said Galileo . . . have
rendered yourself vehemently suspected by this Holy Office of heresy,
that is, of having believed and held the doctrine (which is false and
contrary to the Holy and Divine Scriptures) that the sun is the center
of the world, and that it does not move from east to west, and that the
earth does move, and is not the center of the world; also, that an opinion
can be held and supported as probable, after it has been declared and
finally decreed contrary to the Holy Scripture, and, consequently, that
you have incurred all the censures and penalties enjoined and promulgated
in the sacred canons and other general and particular constituents against
delinquents of this description. From which it is Our pleasure that you
be absolved, provided that with a sincere heart and unfeigned faith, in
Our presence, you abjure, curse, and detest, the said error and heresies,
and every other error and heresy contrary to the Catholic and Apostolic
Church of Rome. 1630 A.D. [See note below. The date should be 1633]
The following are excerpted portions from the Sentence of the Tribunal of the Supreme Inquisition against
Galileo Galilei, given the 22nd day of June of the year 1633 "It being the case that thou, Galileo, son of the late Vincenzio
Galilei, a Florentine, now aged 70, wast denounced in this Holy Office
in 1615: "That thou heldest as true the false doctrine taught by many, that
the Sun was the centre of the universe and immoveable, and that the Earth
moved, and had also a diurnal motion: That on this same matter thou didst
hold a correspondence with certain German mathematicians.... "That the Sun is the centre of the universe and doth not move from
his place is a proposition absurd and false in philosophy, and formerly
heretical; being expressly contrary to Holy Writ: That the Earth is not
the centre of the universe nor immoveable, but that it moves, even with
a diurnal motion, is likewise a proposition absurd and false in philosophy,
and considered in theology ad minus erroneous in faith..... "Invoking then the Most Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and
of His most glorious Mother Mary, ever Virgin, for this Our definite sentence,
the which sitting pro tribunali, by the counsel and opinion of the Reverent
Masters of theology and doctors of both laws, Our Counsellors, we present
in these writings, in the cause and causes currently before Us, between
the magnificent Carlo Sinceri, doctor of both laws, procurator fiscal
of this Holy Office on the one part, and thou Galileo Galilei, guilty,
here present, confessed and judged, on the other part: "We say, pronounce, sentence, and declare, that thou, the said Galileo,
by the things deduced during this trial, and by thee confessed as above,
hast rendered thyself vehemently suspected of heresy by this Holy Office,
that is, of having believed and held a doctrine which is false, and contrary
to the Holy Scriptures, to wit: that the Sun is the centre of the universe,
and that it does not move from east to west, and that the Earth moves
and is not the centre of the universe: and that an opinion may be held
and defended as probable after having been declared and defined as contrary
to Holy Scripture; and in consequence thou hast incurred all the censures
and penalties of the Sacred Canons, and other Decrees both general and
particular, against such offenders imposed and promulgated. From the which
We are content that thou shouldst be absolved, if, first of all, with
a sincere heart and unfeigned faith, thou dost before Us abjure, curse,
and detest the above-mentioned errors and heresies and any other error
and heresy contrary to the Catholic and Apostolic Roman Church, after
the manner that We shall require of thee. "And to the end that this thy grave error and transgression remain
not entirely unpunished, and that thou mayst be more cautious in the future,
and an example to others to abstain from and avoid similar offences, "We order that by a public edict the book of DIALOGUES OF GALILEO
GALILEI be prohibited, and We condemn thee to the prison of this Holy
Office during Our will and pleasure; and as a salutary penance We enjoin
on thee that for the space of three years thou shalt recite once a week
the Seven Penitential Psalms, reserving to Ourselves the faculty of moderating,
changing, or taking from, all other or part of the above-mentioned pains
and penalties. "And thus We say, pronounce, declare, order, condemn, and reserve
in this and in any other better way and form which by right We can and
ought. Ita pronunciamus nos Cardinalis infrascripti.
GALILEO'S ABJURATION. I, Galileo Galilei, son of the late Vincenzio Galilei of Florence, aged
70 years, tried personally by this court, and kneeling before You, the
most Eminent and Reverend Lord Cardinals, Inquisitors-General throughout
the Christian Republic against heretical depravity, having before my eyes
the Most Holy Gospels, and laying on them my own hands; I swear that I
have always believed, I believe now, and with God's help I will in future
believe all which the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church doth hold, preach,
and teach. But since I, after having been admonished by this Holy Office entirely
to abandon the false opinion that the Sun was the centre of the universe
and immoveable, and that the Earth was not the centre of the same and
that it moved, and that I was neither to hold, defend, nor teach in any
manner whatever, either orally or in writing, the said false doctrine;
and after having received a notification that the said doctrine is contrary
to Holy Writ, I did write and cause to be printed a book in which I treat
of the said already condemned doctrine, and bring forward arguments of
much efficacy in its favour, without arriving at any solution: I have
been judged vehemently suspected of heresy, that is, of having held and
believed that the Sun is the centre of the universe and immoveable, and
that the Earth is not the centre of the same, and that it does move. Nevertheless, wishing to remove from the minds of your Eminences and
all faithful Christians this vehement suspicion reasonably conceived against
me, I abjure with sincere heart and unfeigned faith, I curse and detest
the said errors and heresies, and generally all and every error and sect
contrary to the Holy Catholic Church. And I swear that for the future
I will neither say nor assert in speaking or writing such things as may
bring upon me similar suspicion; and if I know any heretic, or one suspected
of heresy, I will denounce him to this Holy Office, or to the Inquisitor
and Ordinary of the place in which I may be. I also swear and promise to adopt and observe entirely all the penances
which have been or may be by this Holy Office imposed on me. And if I
contravene any of these said promises, protests, or oaths, (which God
forbid!) I submit myself to all the pains and penalties which by the Sacred
Canons and other Decrees general and particular are against such offenders
imposed and promulgated. So help me God and the Holy Gospels, which I
touch with my own hands. I Galileo Galilei aforesaid have abjured, sworn, and promised, and hold I, GALILEO GALILEI, have abjured as above, with my own hand. Source Since this text is widely linked to, a printed source for the above texts
is still being sought. |