Vergilius of Salzburg

Virgil (– 27 November 784), also spelled Vergil, Vergilius, Virgilius, Feirgil or Fearghal, was an Irish priest and early astronomer. He left Ireland around 745, intending to visit the Holy Land; but, like many of his countrymen, he settled in Francia. Virgil served as abbot of Aghaboe, bishop of Ossory and later bishop of Salzburg. He was called "the Apostle of Carinthia" and "the geometer".

Biography He originated from a noble family of Ireland, where his name was Feirgil or Fearghal, and is said to have been a descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages. Feirgil was probably educated at the Iona monastery.

In Annals of the Four Masters and Annals of Ulster, he is referenced as the 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, who was then Mayor of the Palace under Childeric III of Franconia. He was an adviser to Pippin. He probably used a copy of the Collectio canonum Hibernensis (an Irish collection of canon law) to advise him to receive royal unction in 751, to assist his recognition as king Pippin III after the deposition of Childeric. 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 St Peter's Abbey at Salzburg. Among his notable accomplishments was the conversion of the Alpine Slavs to Christianity; he also sent missionaries to Hungary.

The treatise in which Virgil expounded his doctrine no longer exists. Two things, however, are certain: first, that there was involved the problem of original sin and the universality of redemption; secondly, that Virgil succeeded in freeing himself from the charge of teaching a doctrine contrary to Scripture. It is likely that Boniface, already biased against Virgil 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. A parish in Morris Plains, New Jersey, is also dedicated to him. Fittingly for this Irish geometer who predicted antipodes, several churches in the Southern Hemisphere are dedicated to him. St Virgil's College in Hobart, Tasmania is named for him. There was a St Virgilius Church in Balclutha, New Zealand designed by Francis Petre which moved and was re-dedicated to Mary MacKillop, however the new chapel remains dedicated to Virgilius.

Art and culture A large marble statue of him stands outside the doors of Salzburg Cathedral. A stained-glass window of St Virgil contemplating the antipodes sits in St John's College, University of Sydney. Sebastian Stief painted him amidst Salzburg's construction, Alec Szolomiak painted him, as did Jan Toorop, and Dhiraja McBryde.