Who was the Brazilian who made the church forgive Galileo Galilei

In his autobiography a science apprentice, the admittedly Catholic Brazilian, recalls that the subject was a source of criticism “of agnostics to the church” and that it was not fair that Galileo-unlike physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955), which ” He had never been bothered by the church ” – continued to suffer” strong persecution. “

During the 16 years in which he chaired the Academy from 1972 to 1988, Chagas Filho led these studies that underlined forgiveness to the astronomer. In 1992, Pope John Paul 2 ° (1920-2005) officially rehabilitated Galileo Galilei, recognizing the church’s error in condemning him.

Researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and curator of an exhibition held 15 years ago about Chagas Filho, historian Ana Luce Girão Soares de Lima recalls that “besides advising the revision of the Galileo process, resulting in the rehabilitation of the astronomer” , the Brazilian scientist accumulated other merits during the period in which he presided over the Academy of the Catholic Church.

“(He brought) to the agenda studies on the effects of nuclear conflicts for humanity. In addition, he was responsible for the exact dating of the Holy Shroud (relic that supposedly would be the cloak that involved Jesus after death), concluding that the fabric had been produced in the 7th century. “

Soares de Lima is co -author of the book Carlos Chagas Filho: Brazilian scientist, profession Hope.

One of the two Brazilians who are now part of the academy, physicist Vanderlei Bagnato, professor at the University of São Paulo (USP), points out that Chagas Filho’s passage to the institution, as “only Brazilian who was president of the academy” was marked by concern ” in making science a benefit in the service of man. “