1 The Crime of Galileo Indictment and Abjuration of 1633 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 glossing 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 Eminent 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 1 The proposition that the sun is in the center of the world and immovable from its place is absurd philosophically false and formally heretical because it is expressly contrary to Holy Scriptures 2 The proposition that the earth is not the center of the world nor immovable but that it moves and also with a diurnal action is also absurd philosophically false and theologically considered at least erroneous in faith 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 2 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 Sentence of the Inquisitorial Court It being the case that thou Galileo son of the late Vincenzio Galilei a Florentine now aged 70 was denounced in this Holy Office in 1615 That thou held as true the false doctrine taught by many that the Sun was the center of the universe and immovable and that the Earth moved and had also a diurnal motion That on this same matter thou did hold a correspondence with certain German mathematicians That the Sun is the center of the universe and does 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 center of the universe nor immovable 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 Counselors 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 have 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 center of the universe and that it does not move from east to west and that the Earth moves and is not the center 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 have 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 should be absolved if first of all with a sincere heart and unfeigned faith thou do 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 may be more cautious in the future and an example to others to abstain from and avoid similar offences 3 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 shall 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 here the officiating
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