Galileo Faces the Inquisition for Heresy

You’re grounded, Mister! Photo by the New Yorker

In April of 1633, the renowned scientist Galileo Galilei arrived in Rome. But this was no pleasure trip. Pope Urban VIII was miffed and summoned him to stand before the Inquisition.

Galileo’s sin was heresy, based on his acceptance of Copernican theory, which purported that the planets, including the earth, revolved around the sun. Unfortunately for Galileo, this did not mesh with Christian…