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Vatican To Honor Galileo With Statue

By Howard M. Friedman

Yesterday's London Times reported that the Vatican is attempting to complete its rehabilitation of 17th century scientist Galileo Galilei who was forced by the Church to recant his view that the earth revolves around the sun. Coinciding with next year's celebration of the 400th anniversary of Galileo's development of the telescope, the Vatican will erect a statue of him inside the Vatican walls. Paid for by private funds, the staute will be placed in the Vatican gardens near the apartment where Galileo was jailed while awaiting trial for heresy in 1633. Nicola Cabibbo, head of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, said: "The Church wants to close the Galileo affair and reach a definitive understanding not only of his great legacy but also of the relationship between science and faith."

Full post as published by Religion Clause on March 05, 2008 (boomark / email).