ROME , Italy ( CNN ) -- Pope Benedict XVI has canceled a planned visit to a prestigious Italian university after a protest by academics and students attacked his views on Galileo , the Vatican confirmed Tuesday . The pope had been due to give a speech at La Sapienza university in Rome Thursday to open its academic year . However , the visit drew criticism from academics at the university who signed a letter demanding that the trip be called off . Separately , students protested outside the university , carrying banners insisting the university is a lay institution and the pope is not welcome . `` Given the events of the past days regarding the visit of the Holy Father to La Sapienza university upon the rector 's invitation , which was scheduled to take place Thursday , January 17 , it was decided to postpone the event , '' the Vatican said in a short written statement . Father Ciro Benedettini , a spokesman for the Vatican , confirmed to CNN the academic protests had prompted the cancellation . In the letter , academics -- pointing to a speech the pope gave at the same university as a cardinal in 1990 -- claimed he condones the 1633 trial and conviction of the scientist Galileo for heresy . The astronomer had argued that the Earth revolved around the Sun , in contradiction to church teachings at the time , and he was forced to renounce his findings publicly . In comments made 15 years ago when he was still a cardinal , Pope Benedict is reported to have called the trial `` reasonable and just . '' During his speech , the pope -- then Cardinal Ratzinger -- quoted an Austrian philosopher Paul Feyerabend , saying , `` At the time of Galileo , the church remained more loyal ( or faithful ) to reason than Galileo himself . Andreas Srova , a physics professor at the university , said it would have been inappropriate for the pope to appear for the inauguration . Srova , who signed the protest letter and is the author of a book detailing the 1633 trial , said he is `` very satisfied '' that the Vatican decided to cancel the trip . `` We have no objections to the pope visiting at any other time when there can be exchanges of opinion , but not at the inauguration , '' he said . `` It was a mistake to ask him to come at this time . '' CNN 's Rome bureau chief Alessio Vinci said it was quite extraordinary for the pope to cancel the visit just because of the objections of the students and professors . It Is especially surprising , he said , given that this is the same pope that made a controversial visit to Turkey last year . Pope Benedict went to the predominantly Muslim country despite strained relations between the Vatican and the Islamic world following a lecture the pope gave at a German university in which he made unflattering comments about the Islamic faith . E-mail to a friend . CNN 's Hada Messia also contributed to this report .
Pope cancels visit to German university after protest over his views on Galileo . Benedict XVI due to give speech at banners in Vatican 1633 . Academics said pope condones 1633 trial and conviction of Galileo for heresy .