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Scholars protest at papal visit Pope shuns protesting academics
(about 6 hours later)
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 has postponed a visit to a prestigious university in Rome where lecturers and students have protested against his views on Galileo.
Pope Benedict XVI is to make a speech on Thursday at La Sapienza university. "After the well-noted controversy of recent days... it was considered appropriate to postpone the event," a Vatican statement said.
Sixty-seven academics have signed a letter saying the Pope's views on Galileo "offend and humiliate us". The Pope had been set to make a speech at La Sapienza University on Thursday.
They say he condoned the 1633 trial and conviction of Galileo for heresy. The astronomer had argued that the Earth revolved around the Sun. Sixty-seven academics had said the Pope condoned the 1633 trial and conviction of the astronomer Galileo for heresy.
The academics said it would be inappropriate for the Pope to open their academic year on Thursday. Galileo had argued that the Earth revolved around the Sun.
"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. The Vatican says the Pope will now send his speech to La Sapienza, instead of delivering it in person.
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. Landmark controversy
An old controversy has come back to haunt the PopeThe banner at their lunch read: "Knowledge needs neither fathers nor priests". Pope Benedict was in charge of Roman Catholic doctrine in 1990 when, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he commented on the 17th-Century Galileo trial.
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. In the speech, he quoted Austrian-born philosopher Paul Feyerabend as saying the Church's verdict against Galileo had been "rational and just".
Vatican Radio said the protest at La Sapienza had "a censorious tone". An old controversy has come back to haunt the PopeGalileo's inquisitors maintained the scriptures indicated the Earth was stationary.
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, 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.
The academics at La Sapienza signed a letter saying the Pope's views on Galileo "offend and humiliate us".
They 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 a separate initiative, students at La Sapienza 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.
The banner at their lunch read: "Knowledge needs neither fathers nor priests".
Vatican Radio said the protest at La Sapienza had "a censorious tone".