The Vatican Observatory: A Dialogue between Science and Faith
Dedicating an issue of this newsletter to the Vatican Observatory is an invitation to discover a reality that is often not well known. The Observatory is a scientific institution linked to the Vatican Governorate that provides scientific expertise, in the service of the Pope. Its origins date back to 1578, when Pope Gregory XIII commissio ned the construction of the astronomical observatory - the Tower of Winds - and invited the renowned Jesuit astro nomers and mathematicians of the Roman College to pre pare the calendar reform, promulgated in 1582, known as the Gregorian calendar.
Undoubtedly one of the oldest astronomical observatories in the world, after a forced closure by the forces of the Risorgimento, it was re-established in 1891 by Pope Leo XIII, confirming the Church’s commitment to promoting scientific research and fostering dialogue between faith and science
