In the 16th century, a religious movement known as the Reformation spread across Europe. It was directed against the Catholic Church, a tough organization that in the Middle Ages became the supreme judge in all matters relating to God and man. Despite the progress made during the Renaissance, traditional religious views persisted in Italy, where the Vatican, the seat of the Pope, was located. Here, in Italy, the outstanding scientific reformer Galileo Galile was born. In his youth, Galileo was going to become a priest, but instead chose another - scientific - path. While remaining a Catholic, Galileo tried to create a new approach to understanding the world created by God. Unfortunately, he underestimated the power of the church and its influence on the hearts and minds of his fellow countrymen. Betrayed by his former friend and admirer, Pope Urban VIII, he was accused of heresy by the Catholic Inquisition for spreading his views, which were contrary to church dogma. Nevertheless, Galileo managed to deal a fatal blow to the dominance of the church. After him, public views on the world began to change rapidly. Secular science appeared, one of the fathers of which was Galileo Galilei.