Copernicus reburied as a hero

Another noble step forward by the Roman Catholic Church made our free minds drunk and leaves many questions. Nicolaus Copernicus, once condemned as heretic, is reburied and honoured as a hero.

Last saturday, may 22nd 2010. in Frombork, POland, 467 years after his death and inappreciabled funeral, revolutionary astronomer, physician and cleric Nicolaus Copernicus is posthumous reburied during magnificent ceremony in the presence of clergy, scholars, students and others.

Copernicus' work was one of the historical "tectonic" quakes in a row initiated by giants like Martin Luther. Nicolaus Copernicus and Luther were heroes dare enough to make difficult questions and present it to one-minded institution, ask validity of authorities and dogmas, allowing human intelect to fly and explore vast area of truth. Their courage is weakened then militant and irrational fundamentalism, and fed and strengthened minds like Brahe, Kepler, Newton...

Indicative are the words of the local bishop Jacek Jezierski: "Today's funeral has a symbolic value in that it is a gesture toward reconciliation of science and faith." The point is debatable, but worthy of consideration.

Free-minded people are happy of such a glad tidings, so much that we feel dizzy in the head and skin goose bumps. But we also understand that we live in a time when some new dogmas are established, some new fundamentalists, who have not aegis of the Vatican, show their teeth and threaten. We already have innocent victims, both of believers and secular. Does this mean that we will unfortunately have another martyrs? And what is worse, does that mean that our beloved institutions need a new 467 years of God's grace to get to their mind?

God forbid!