WANTED
FOR EXCAPING HOUSE ARREST:

BORN: 15 February 1564.


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In 1616 Copernicus was announced as a person who was dangerous to Faith, so Galileo Galilei was requested not to teach the ideas of Copernicus. In 1632 Galileo wrote a book agreeing with Copernicus’ heliocentric theory. The book was called “Dialogue.” It became an immediate hit with the public but not with the Catholic Church because they believed that the Earth was at the center of the Universe and Galileo thought that the sun was at the center of the Universe. Since Copernicus’ work in 1616, all works relating to his theory were banned; the book was added to the list of “unwanted” items. Finally in 1822, the book “Dialogue” was no longer banned because it was common knowledge that the Earth was not in the middle of the universe.

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In 1633, Galileo had his first trial in front of The Roman Inquisition that spoke for the beliefs of the Catholic Church. It was common knowledge amongst key figures of the Scientific Revolution that Galileo’s findings and Copernicus’ Theory was correct. Galileo stood in front of the group members of The Roman Inquisition; he declared that his discoveries were accurate and illustrated this by using a telescope to show that the Sun is in the center of the Universe. The prosecutors replied saying that the Earth is at the center, and that Galileo Galilei was a heretic. He lost the trial and was put into house arrest.

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During 1633, The Roman Inquisition’s verdict from Rome meant that Galileo had to serve an imprisonment that took the form of house arrest. This means Galileo was prohibited from leaving his home under threat of torture. Once in house arrest all Galileo could do was look through his telescope. Over time Galileo went blind from looking at the sun for too long. Suffering from high blood pressure and arthritis Galileo died in 1642.
In 1992 on behalf of the Catholic Church, The Roman Inquisition issued an apology to Galileo for not accepting his views on the Copernicus’ heliocentric theory. It had become a widely accepted fact that the sun was the center of the Universe.