WAA November 1st Meeting

Friday, November 1st at 7:30 pm

Lienhard Hall, 3rd floor, Pace University, Pleasantville, NY

Christopher Clavius & the Gregorian Calendar

Paul R. Mueller, S.J., Ph.D.

Superior of the Jesuit Community and Vice Director, Vatican Observatory, Castel Gandolfo, Italy, and Tucson, Arizona

In this year marking the 480th anniversary of the birth of Christopher Clavius, S.J., it seems appropriate to focus on his life and legacy. That legacy ranges from the Gregorian calendar, which is the calendar that we all use today, to the Stanley Kubrick film 2001: A Space Odyssey. It ranges from popular textbooks to worldwide curricular reform. And it ranges from the history of science in China to the Vatican Observatory, which Pope Gregory XIII established in 1580 to help confirm and refine astronomical observations made in support of Clavius’ reform of the calendar. Paul Mueller, S.J. will explore Clavius’ life and work in their early and modern contexts and illuminate his enduring legacy for modern science, religion, and culture.

Pre-lecture socializing with fellow WAA members and guests begins at 7:00 pm!