Virgilius, St

Virgilius, St.

was an Irish priest of the 8th century. He went to France in the reign of Pepin, and found his way to Bavaria, where he had trouble with Boniface (q.v.) on several accounts. He seems to have been of good education and talents, but made a blunder in repeating the Latin formula in administering baptism in one instance which caused Boniface to declare it null and void, and to insist upon rebaptism. Virgilius resisted the claim, and upon an appeal to the pope was sustained. He also held that the earth was globular, for which he was accused by Boniface of heresy, and the pope at first excommunicated Virgilius, but upon a more careful hearing restored him. In the year 766, through the influence of Pepin, and by the favor of the duke Odilio of Bavaria, he was appointed bishop of Salzburg, which office he held until his death, in 780. While at Salzburg he did much to extend Christianity to the eastward of him, among the Slavonians and Huns. See Mosheim, Hist. of the Church, bk. 3, cent. 8 pt. 1, ch. 1; Neander, Hist. of the Church, 3, 63.