Coffee reached the Muslim world In the 9th Century. When it reached Europe, coffee was often condemned as the drink of the devil. It was said to cause health trouble, ranging from infertility to ruination of the cerebrospinal fluid.

Both Islamic and Christian authorities noticed that subjects who drank alcoholic beverages became drunk and happy. On the other hand, coffee drinkers remained sober and often plotted against those same authorities.

Eventually, during the reign of Pope Clement VIII, the coffee debate reached the Vatican. Ippolito Aldobrandini, born on 2/24/1536, was a canon lawyer before being elected pope in 1585. He was brutal toward his opponents, oppressed Jews in the Papal States, and rallied European Christians to war against the Ottoman Empire.

Sources have suggested that he was the first pope to drink coffee. Before declaring it forbidden to Christians, the legend goes, he decided to sip it for himself. He is reported to have said either “This devil’s drink is delicious. We should cheat the devil by baptizing it.” or “Why, this Satan's drink is so delicious that it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it.”

Either way, coffee was de-demonized and eventually found its way to the New World.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org