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| Scholars protest at papal visit | Scholars protest at papal visit |
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| Lecturers and students at a prestigious university in Rome want a planned visit by the Pope to be cancelled as they object to his position on Galileo. | Lecturers and students at a prestigious university in Rome want a planned visit by the Pope to be cancelled as they object to his position on Galileo. |
| Pope Benedict XVI is to make a speech on Thursday at La Sapienza university. | Pope Benedict XVI is to make a speech on Thursday at La Sapienza university. |
| Sixty-seven academics have signed a letter saying the Pope's views on Galileo "offend and humiliate us". | Sixty-seven academics have signed a letter saying the Pope's views on Galileo "offend and humiliate us". |
| They say he condoned the 1633 trial and conviction of Galileo for heresy. The astronomer had argued that the Earth revolved around the Sun. | They say he condoned the 1633 trial and conviction of Galileo for heresy. The astronomer had argued that the Earth revolved around the Sun. |
| The academics said it would be inappropriate for the Pope to open their academic year on Thursday. | The academics said it would be inappropriate for the Pope to open their academic year on Thursday. |
| "In the name of the secular nature of science we hope this incongruous event can be cancelled," said the letter addressed to the university's rector, Renato Guarini. | "In the name of the secular nature of science we hope this incongruous event can be cancelled," said the letter addressed to the university's rector, Renato Guarini. |
| In a separate initiative students at La Sapienza have organised four days of protest this week. The first revolved around an anti-clerical meal of bread, pork and wine, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Rome. | In a separate initiative students at La Sapienza have organised four days of protest this week. The first revolved around an anti-clerical meal of bread, pork and wine, the BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Rome. |
| An old controversy has come back to haunt the PopeThe banner at their lunch read: "Knowledge needs neither fathers nor priests". | |
| The official programme has been changed so that Pope Benedict will give a normal speech - as opposed to a keynote speech, which is usually the centrepiece of the ceremony. | The official programme has been changed so that Pope Benedict will give a normal speech - as opposed to a keynote speech, which is usually the centrepiece of the ceremony. |
| Vatican Radio said the protest at La Sapienza had "a censorious tone". | Vatican Radio said the protest at La Sapienza had "a censorious tone". |
| Pope Benedict was in charge of Roman Catholic doctrine in 1990 when, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he commented on the 17th-Century Galileo trial. He has been quoted as saying the trial was "reasonable and just". | Pope Benedict was in charge of Roman Catholic doctrine in 1990 when, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he commented on the 17th-Century Galileo trial. He has been quoted as saying the trial was "reasonable and just". |
| Galileo's inquisitors maintained the scriptures indicated the Earth was stationary. | Galileo's inquisitors maintained the scriptures indicated the Earth was stationary. |
| Galileo, a devout Catholic, was forced to renounce his findings publicly. | Galileo, a devout Catholic, was forced to renounce his findings publicly. |
| Fifteen years ago Pope John Paul II officially conceded that in fact the Earth was not stationary. | Fifteen years ago Pope John Paul II officially conceded that in fact the Earth was not stationary. |