ABSTRACT
In Laura Bassi's case, her odor of near sanctity did not emerge in opposition to the Roman Catholic Church, which condemned Galileo in 1633 for his advocacy of Copernican astronomy. The incorruptibility of Vigri's saintly body encouraged Bassi's admirers to envision the possibility that she might enjoy an unusually miraculous afterlife. Bassi had become professor of experimental physics at the Collegio Montalto in 1766 in addition to her university position; Giovanni taught moral theology starting in 1769, assuming the rectorship in 1775. In the eyes of her admirers, Bassi was a model Catholic scientist for their age precisely because she made learning the foundation of her faith. The religious vocations of three of her children reflect the strength of the family's ties to Bologna's leading religious institutions. Bassi's Christian merits were integral to her own sense of mission. She recognized the advantages of being a model Catholic for her reputation as a scientist.
