 Galileo had alienated one of his biggest and most powerful supporters , the Pope , and was called to Rome to defend his writings in September 1632 . He finally arrived in February 1633 and was brought before inquisitor Vincenzo Maculani to be charged . Throughout his trial Galileo steadfastly maintained that since 1616 he had faithfully kept his promise not to hold any of the condemned opinions , and initially he denied even defending them . However , he was eventually persuaded to admit that , contrary to his true intention , a reader of his Dialogue could well have obtained the impression that it was intended to be a defence of Copernicanism . In view of Galileo 's rather implausible denial that he had ever held Copernican ideas after 1616 or ever intended to defend them in the Dialogue , his final interrogation , in July 1633 , concluded with his being threatened with torture if he did not tell the truth , but he maintained his denial despite the threat . 
