Background
He originated from a noble family of Ireland, where his name was Feirgil, and is said to have been a descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages.
He originated from a noble family of Ireland, where his name was Feirgil, and is said to have been a descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages.
He was called "the geometer". Feirgil was probably educated at the Iona monastery. In the "Annals of the Four Masters" and the "Annals of Ulster" he is mentioned as Abbot of Aghaboe, in County Laois, where he was known as "the Geometer" because of his knowledge of geography.
Around 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 Pippin the Younger then Mayor of the Palace under Childeric III of Franconia.
After spending two years at Cressy, near Compiègne, he went to Bavaria, at the invitation of Duke Odilo, where he founded the monastery of Chiemsee, and within a year or two was made Abbot of Saint Peter"s at Salzburg. lieutenant was while Abbot of Saint Peter"s that he came into collision with Saint Boniface.
The latter, however, decided in favour of Vergilius. Later on, Boniface accused Vergilius of spreading discord between himself and Duke Odilo of Bavaria and 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 shall be clearly established that he professes belief in another world and other people existing beneath the earth, or in sun and moon there, thou art to hold a council, and deprive him of his sacerdotal rank, and expel him from the church." 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. lieutenant is likely that Boniface, already biased against Vergilius because of the preceding case, 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.
He died at Salzburg, 27 November 784.
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).
Quotations: "Baptizo te in nomine patria et filia et spiritu sancta".