Saint Vergilius of Salzburg
+ 789
"Saint Boniface accused Vergilius of teaching
a doctrine in regard to the rotundity of the earth"
Irish missionary and astronomer, of the eighth century. Vergilius (or Virgilius, in
Irish Fergal, Ferghil, or Feirghil) is said to have been a descendant of Niall of the
Nine Hostages. In the "Annals of the Four Masters" and the "Annals of Ulster" he
is mentioned as Abbot of Aghaboe, in Queen's County. About 745 he left Ireland,
intending to visit the Holy land, but, like many of his countrymen, who seemed to
have adopted this practice as a work of piety, he settled down in France, where
he was received with great favour by Pepin, then mayor of the Palace under
Childeric III. After spending two years at Cressy, near Compiegne, he went to
Bavaria, at the invitation of Duke Otilo, and within a year or two was made Abbot
of St. Peter's at Salzburg. Out of humility, he "concealed his orders", and had a
bishop named Dobdagrecus, a fellow countryman, appointed to perform his
episcopal functions for him. It was while Abbot of St. Peter's that he came into
collision with St. Boniface. A priest having, through ignorance, conferred the
Sacrament of Baptism using, in place of the correct formula, the words Baptizo
te in nomine patria et filia et spiritu sancta", Vergilius held that the sacrament
had been validly conferred. Boniface complained to Pope Zachary. The latter,
however, decided in favour of Vergilius. Later on, St. Boniface accused Vergilius
of teaching a doctrine in regard to the rotundity of the earth, which was "contrary
to the Scriptures". Pope Zachary's decision in this case was that "if it be proved
that he held the said doctrine, a council be held, and Vergilius expelled from the
Church and deprived of his priestly dignity" (Jaffe, "Biblioth. rerum germ.", III,
191). Unfortunately we no longer possess the treatise in which Vergilius
expounded his doctrine. Two things, however, are certain: first, that there was
involved the problem of original sin and the universality of redemption; secondly,
that Vergilius succeeded in freeing himself from the charge of teaching a doctrine
contrary to Scripture. It is likely that Boniface misunderstood him, taking it for
granted, perhaps, that if there are antipodes, the "other race of men" are not
descendants of Adam and were not redeemed by Christ. Vergilius, no doubt, had
little difficulty in showing that his doctrine did not involve consequences of that
kind. (See ANTIPODES.)
After the martyrdom of St. Boniface, Vergilius was made Bishop of Salzburg (766
or 767) and laboured successfully for the upbuilding of his diocese as well as for
the spread of the Faith in neighbouring heathen countries, especially in Carinthia.
He died at Salzburg, 27 November, 789. In 1233 he was canonized by Gregory
IX. His doctrine that the earth is a sphere was derived from the teaching of
ancient geographers, and his belief in the existence of the antipodes was
probably influenced by the accounts which the ancient Irish voyagers gave of
their journeys. This, at least, is the opinion of Rettberg ("Kirchengesch.
Deutschlands", II, 236).
Dict. of Christian Biog., s. v. Vergilius; OLDEN in Dict. of National Biography, s. v. Fergil;
KRETSCHMER, Die physiche Erdkunde (Vienna, 1889).
William Turner
Transcribed by Thomas M. Barrett
Dedicated to St. Vergilius
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XV
Copyright © 1912 by Robert Appleton Company
Online Edition Copyright © 1999 by Kevin Knight
Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor
Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York