On 26 February 1616, the Roman Inquisition issued an injunction to Galileo Galilei, compelling him to renounce his advocacy of heliocentrism—the radical notion that the Earth and planets orbit the Sun.
This decree marked a pivotal moment in the clash between scientific inquiry and ecclesiastical authority, as Galileo’s support for Copernican theory was deemed heretical by the Catholic Church.
Despite his groundbreaking astronomical observations, which lent credence to heliocentrism, Galileo faced mounting pressure to conform to the geocentric doctrine endorsed by religious orthodoxy.
This confrontation foreshadowed his later trial and house arrest, underscoring the enduring struggle between reason and dogma in the pursuit of knowledge.
