Abjuration act

I, Galileo, son of the late Vincenzo Galileo of Florence, 70 years old, personally constituted in judgment, and knelt ahead of you, Eminent and Reverent Cardinals, general Inquisitors against the heretical perversity in the whole Christian Republic; having before my eyes the sacrosanct Gospel, that I touch with my own hands, I swear that I have always believed, I believe now, and with the help of God I shall believe, what the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church thinks, sermonizes and teaches. But after being summoned that I had to abandon the false opinion that the sun is center of the world and doesn't move and that the earth is not center of the world and moves; and after being ordered that I could neither defend nor teach in any way, neither in voice nor in writing, the said false doctrine; and after being warned that said doctrine is contrary to the Holy Writings, I wrote and published a book in which the same damned doctrine is supported and I effectively defend it, without bringing any solution. Therefore this Holy Inquisition has judged me to be vehemently suspected of heresy, that is to have held and believed the sun is center of the world and motionless and the earth is not center and moves.

In so far, since I want to take this vehement suspicion from the mind of Your Eminences and of every Christian believer, with sincere heart and faith I abjure, I curse and I detest those errors and heresies, and generally every other error, heresy and sect contrary to the Holy Church; and I swear that I won't any more say or affirm, in voice or in writing, such things for which I can be suspected. And if I will know any heretic, I will denounce him to this Holy Inquisition, or to the Inquisitor or Ordinary of the place, where I will be.

I also swear and promise to fulfil and to observe all the penitences which this Holy Inquisition has ordered or will order me; and if I'll fail to meet these promises and oaths - God forbid -, I submit to all the punishments imposed by the holy canons and other general and particular constitutions against such crimes. So I hope in the help of God and of these holy Gospel, which I touch with my own hands.

I, Galileo, I have abjured, swore, promised and I have bound myself as above; and in witness thereof, I have undersigned this present paper with my abjuration and I have said it in Rome, at the Minerva convent, this day June 22nd 1633.

I, Galileo Galilei, have abjured as above.

Back to texts page.