The following was the official confession, in 1616 A.D, of the Church of Rome, when confronting the then Astronomical innovator, Galileo, who recanted and publicly confessed that his doctrine of the earth’s motion was false:
“I.—The proposition that the Sun “ is the centre of the World and immovable from its place, is absurd, philosophically false, and formally heretical; because it is expressly contrary to the Holy Scriptures.”
“II.—The proposition that the Earth is not the centre of the world, nor immovable, but that it moves, and also with a diurnal motion, is also absurd, philosophically false, and theologically considered, equally erroneous in faith.”
“And so we say, pronounce and by our sentence declare, decree, and reserve, in this and in every other better form and manner, which lawfully we may and can use. So We, the subscribing Cardinals pronounce.”—“ This 26th day of February, 1616.”
(Subscribed by Seven Cardinals).