What is often overlooked is that Galileo was a Catholic cleric, and as such, was subject to their rules for obedience to papal decrees, moreso than lay folk. The Pope ordered him not to publish, and he went ahead and did so, in a manner that was insulting to the Pope. If you are an academic, try insulting your department head or college president in print after he order you not to publish your work (as the evidence does not yet support your conclusions) and see what happens.
Galileo received the clerical tonsure (a ceremonial haircut given to men being inducted into the clergy) on April 5, 1631, in order to benefit from receiving an ecclesiastical pension. The Bishop of Florence himself cut the tonsure. (Galileo’s clerical status is also one of the best pieces of evidence to discount that idea that Galileo was ever tortured, as the Inquisitorial rules exempted clerics, the elderly (which would have also excluded Galileo), the infirm (ditto), children, and pregnant women from torture.)
Galileo accepted the clerical office from Pope Urban, and prayed a daily office, as required. He wore a tonsure for several years, but his ecclesiastical pension, which began several years after receiving the tonsure (and I thought my first retirement check took a long time to process), was gradually reduced from the 100 scudi that Urban promised to 40. (On the other hand, a paycheck is still a paycheck). The pension was originally intended for Galileo’s son Vincenzio (by Maria Gambia.) Vincenzio declined the pension because he did not want to wear the tonsure or pray the religious observances required by the grant. (Kids!) Galileo quickly and enthusiastically took up the offer for himself, after it was later offered to a nephew, and Urban agreed and increased the pension amount as a sign of respect for Galieo’s scientific achievements. Galileo continued to draw the pension after his trial until his death, and so remained a cleric of the Catholic Church. His official title was Canon of Brescia and Canon of Pisa.
