In what year was Galileo forced to recant his heliocentric views?

The story behind the answer

Galileo was forced to recant his heliocentric views in 1633.

The Roman Inquisition tried Galileo after the publication of his 1632 Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems, which strongly favored the Copernican model. The trial concerned whether he had violated an earlier order restricting how heliocentrism could be discussed.

On June 22, 1633, Galileo was found “vehemently suspect of heresy” and required to abjure, curse, and detest the belief that Earth moves around a stationary Sun. His prison sentence was commuted to house arrest, which lasted for the rest of his life.

A common mix-up is 1616, when Church authorities first formally condemned heliocentrism and ordered Galileo not to teach or defend it. The later year, 1633, marks the trial, recantation, and sentencing. The famous phrase “and yet it moves” is probably a later legend rather than a documented statement from the trial.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

Add question to a list

Choose a list to keep this question in: