.bmp)
.bmp)
Rome-Pope Benedict XVI has cancelled a planned visit to Rome's prestigious La Sapienza University [[after widespread protests from academics and students to his position on the astronomer Galileo.]]In a short statement late on Tuesday, the Vatican said the pontiff's visit, which was to coincide with the inauguration of the academic year on January 17, would not proceed."Following the well-publicised events of recent days, in relation to the visit of the Holy Father to La Sapienza University, on the invitation of the chancellor, that was to occur on Thursday January 17, he has taken the opportunity to cancel," the Vatican said in an official statement."However, the Holy Father will send the scheduled speech."The decision followed an outcry from staff and students at the university.According to Italian media reports, 67 professors and lecturers signed a letter saying [[the Pope's views on Galileo "offend and humiliate us". ]]They said it would be "incongruous" for the pontiff to open the university's academic year and want his visit to be stopped.Their letter referred to[[[ a remark by Benedict, when he was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, that the Catholic Church's trial of the Italian astronomer was "reasonable and just".They claim the pontiff condoned the 1633 trial and conviction of Galileo for heresy after he 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.La Sapienza physics professor Andrea Frova, author of a book about Galileo, and other academics at the university[[ claims the church still tries to exercise its influence on scientific progress today.]]In a separate move students at La Sapienza have begun a week-long "anticlerical " protest and have hung banners on the walls of university buildings. The official programme has been changed so that Pope Benedict will present a standard speech - rather than a keynote speech at the university ceremony.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. 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.}}}}}}(1)PS:(1)It never ceases to amaze me the level of ignorance in which idol worshippers are nowadays....
As in the days of Noah....
