Statue de saint Virgile devant la cathédrale de Salzbourg
Saint Virgile
Abbé et évêque de Salzbourg (+ 784)
ou Fergal.
Il était originaire d'Irlande, passa deux ans en France sous le règne de Pépin
le Bref, avant d'être élevé au rang d'évêque de Salzbourg dans la Carinthie
autrichienne. Il eut quelques démêlés avec saint
Boniface, l'apôtre de la Germanie, qui l'accusait d'avoir affirmé
qu'il existait des étoiles habitées. Le Pape Zacharie par son silence calma
cette "grave affaire".
À Salzbourg en Bavière, l’an 784, saint Virgile (ou Fergal), abbé et évêque.
Homme de grand savoir, d’origine irlandaise, mis à la tête de l’Église de
Salzbourg grâce à la faveur du roi Pépin, il construisit son église cathédrale
en l’honneur de saint Rupert et travailla avec bonheur à semer la foi parmi les
Slaves de Carinthie.
Martyrologe romain
Virgil of Salzburg, OSB B (RM)
(also known as Feargal, Fearghal, Fergal, Virgilius)
Born in Ireland; died in Salzburg, Austria, November 27, c. 781-784; canonized 1233 by Pope Gregory IX.
Virgil was an Irish
monk, possibly of Aghaboe, who went abroad about 740 intending to visit Palestine.
With him were Dobdagrec, later abbot of a monastery at Chiemsee, and Sidonius,
afterwards bishop of Passau. His learning and ability attracted the attention
of Blessed Pepin the Short, who kept him at the Merovingian court for two
years. About 743, Pepin sent Virgil with letters of recommendation to his
brother-in- law, Duke Odilo of Bavaria, who, c. 745, appointed Virgil abbot of
Saint Peter's Monastery at Salzburg, with jurisdiction over the local
Christians, while Dobdagrec served its episcopal functions.
Instead of visiting
Palestine he remained in Bavaria to help Saint Rupert, the apostle of Austria.
For 40 years he labored to convert Teutons and Slavs, founded monasteries,
churches, and schools. (In 774, the council of Bavaria issued its first pronouncement
on the establishment of schools.)
Virgil appears to
have been a somewhat difficult character and he incurred the strong disapproval
of Saint Boniface, who seems to have detested him. (Perhaps because of
differences in the interpretations of Roman observance or jurisdiction, or
because Virgil succeeded John whom Boniface had as abbot of Saint Peter's, or
just personal differences.) Boniface twice delated him to Rome. On the first
occasion Pope Saint Zachary decided in Virgil's favor. Through carelessness or
ignorance, a priest had used incorrect Latin wording during a baptism. Virgil
and Sidonius ruled that the baptism was valid and need not be repeated;
Boniface of Mainz disagreed. Zachary was surprised that Boniface should have
questioned it and issued a statement to that effect.
The other case
concerned Virgil's cosmological speculations and their implications, which, as
reported to Zachary by Boniface, the pope found very shocking. In 748, the pope
directed Boniface to convene a council to investigate the questionable views,
but the council was never convened. The incident has been the subject of much
discussion and has been used and exaggerated for polemical purposes, but in
fact it is far from clear what Virgil's ideas really were. It appears that
Virgil postulated that the world was round and that people might be living in
what would now be called the Antipodes. He was both a man of learning and a
successful missionary, and even after his cosmological views were called into
question, he was consecrated bishop of the see of Salzburg (c. 766), whose
cathedral he rebuilt.
Saint Virgil
brought relics and the veneration of Saints Brigid and Samthann of Clonbroney
to the areas he evangelized. In fact, Saint Samthann, who may have provided
Virgil with his early education, is better known in Austria than in her
homeland.
Among his other
good works, Virgil sent fourteen missionary monks headed by Saint Modestus into
the province of Carinthia, of which he is venerated as the evangelizer. He
baptized two successive dukes of Carinthia at Salzburg (Chetimar and Vetune).
His influence is revealed by the issuance during the time of duke Chetimar of a
Carinthian coin, an old Salzburg rubentaler, with the images of Saint Rupert,
who built Saint Peter's monastery, and Virgil. He fell ill and died soon after
making a visitation in Carinthia, going as far as the place where the Dravo
River meets the Danube.
His feast is kept
throughout Ireland, although he is buried at St. Peter's in Salzburg. Virgil is
widely venerated in southern Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, and northern Italy
(Attwater, Attwater 2, Benedictines, Coulson, D'Arcy, Encyclopedia, Farmer,
Fitzpatrick, Gougaud, Healy, Husenbeth, Kenney, Montague).
Sometimes he is
paired with Saint Rupertus in artwork (Roeder). Virgil is the patron of
Salzburg, Austria (Farmer).
SOURCE
: http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/1127.shtml
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.)
Nov 27 –
St Feargal of Salzburg (700-784) monk, missionary, bishop
Born in Ireland, Feargal of Virgil (Latin “Virgilius”) is said to have been a descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages. He become a monk and probably abbot in the monastery of Aghaboe (Annals of the Four Masters and the Annals of Ulster).
In 743 he is said to have left Ireland to go to the Holy Land. He stopped first of all at the court of King Pepin the Short, father of Charlemagne. 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 at Salzburg. Out of humility, he at first “concealed his orders”, and had a bishop named Dobdagrecus, a fellow countryman, appointed to perform his episcopal functions for him.
Feargal also expressed a number of opinions on astronomy, geography, and anthropology, which to Boniface smacked of novelty, if not heresy. He reported these views to Rome, and the Pope demanded an investigation of the bishop of Salzburg. Feargal was able to defend his views and nothing came of the complaint. He held the view that the earth was round which Boniface said was contrary to Scripture.
Feargal is said to have built a cathedral at Salzburg. St Rupert had built one there before him and the present cathedral has both of them as patrons; it is the site of Mozart’s baptism. Feargal baptized the Slavic dukes of Carinthia, and sent missionaries into Hungary.
Returning from a preaching mission to a distant part of his diocese, he fell sick and died on 27th November 784. When the Salzburg cathedral was destroyed by a fire in 1181, the grave of Feargal was discovered and this led to his canonisation by Pope Gregory IX in 1233. His feast is celebrated in Ireland and Austria.
Saint Vergilius of Salzburg
St. Vergilius was from Ireland, and was a holy man. He went on to become the Bishop of Salzburg, and did much to spread Christianity, not only in his area, but also in the neighboring country of Carinthia. He was noted for both his holiness, as well as his learning. He believed and preached that the earth was a sphere, something that brought a lot of controversy in his time, especially with his colleague, St. Boniface.
Saint Virgilius of
Salzburg
St. Vergilius of Salzburg
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).
Sources
Dict. of
Christian Biog., s.v. Vergilius; OLDEN in Dict. of National Biography, s.v.
Fergil; KRETSCHMER, Die physiche Erdkunde
(Vienna, 1889).
Turner, William. "St. Vergilius of Salzburg." The Catholic
Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 28 Nov. 2016 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15353d.htm>.
Transcription. This
article was transcribed for New Advent by Thomas M. Barrett. Dedicated to St.
Vergilius.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. October 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur.
+John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Copyright © 2020
by Kevin Knight. Dedicated to the
Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Nov 27 –
St Feargal of Salzburg (700-784) monk, missionary, bishop
27 November,
2012
Born in Ireland,
Feargal of Virgil (Latin "Virgilius") is said to have been a
descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages.
St Feargal (Virgilius) of Salzburg – born about 700 in Ireland; died 784 November 27 in Salzburg, was an early astronomer. He lived first in France and then
in Bavaria, where he founded the monastery of Chiemsee. He was appointed bishop
of Salzburg around 754
Many Irish monks
set out from Ireland as pilgrims for Christ (peregrini
pro Christo). They journeyed widely through Europe and some founded
important churches. Among them is St Feargal
who was a missionary bishop in Salzburg, Austria. Patrick
Duffy records some of the traditions about him.
Monk of Aghaboe
Born in Ireland, Feargal of Virgil (Latin “Virgilius”) is said to have been a descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages. He become a monk and probably abbot in the monastery of Aghaboe (Annals of the Four Masters and the Annals of Ulster).
On pilgrimage for Christ
In 743 he is said to have left Ireland to go to the Holy Land. He stopped first of all at the court of King Pepin the Short, father of Charlemagne. 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 at Salzburg. Out of humility, he at first “concealed his orders”, and had a bishop named Dobdagrecus, a fellow countryman, appointed to perform his episcopal functions for him.
Controversies with St Boniface
In his first days
at Salzburg, Feargal was involved in controversies with St. Boniface. A
priest through ignorance conferred the Sacrament of Baptism using the words
“Baptizo te in nomine patria et filia et spiritu sancta”. Feargal held that the
sacrament had been validly conferred, but Boniface complained to Pope Zachary.
The Pope decided in favour of Feargal.
An astronomer
Feargal also expressed a number of opinions on astronomy, geography, and anthropology, which to Boniface smacked of novelty, if not heresy. He reported these views to Rome, and the Pope demanded an investigation of the bishop of Salzburg. Feargal was able to defend his views and nothing came of the complaint. He held the view that the earth was round which Boniface said was contrary to Scripture.
Cathedral at Salzburg
Feargal is said to have built a cathedral at Salzburg. St Rupert had built one there before him and the present cathedral has both of them as patrons; it is the site of Mozart’s baptism. Feargal baptized the Slavic dukes of Carinthia, and sent missionaries into Hungary.
Death and canonisation
Returning from a preaching mission to a distant part of his diocese, he fell sick and died on 27th November 784. When the Salzburg cathedral was destroyed by a fire in 1181, the grave of Feargal was discovered and this led to his canonisation by Pope Gregory IX in 1233. His feast is celebrated in Ireland and Austria.
Saint Vergilius of Salzburg
·
Century: 8th Century
·
Patronage:
·
Feast
Day:
November 27th
St. Vergilius was
from a noble family in Ireland, and was educated in the Iona Monastery.
He is said to have been a descendant of “Nail of the Nine Hostages”. In
the “Annals of Four Masters” he is mentioned as Abbot of Aghaboe. In 745
he left Ireland, to visit the Holy Land, but seemed to have adopted the
practice as a work of piety, and settled in France. After spending two
years at Cressy, he went to Bavaria, at the invitation of Duke Odilo.
There he founded the Monastery of Chiemsee, and within a year 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.
While attending as
Abbot of St. Peter’s, he came into a collision with St. Boniface. A
Priest, having through ignorance, conferred the Sacrament of Baptism using in
place of the correct formula, the word “Absolutus” meaning “Authorized”.
St. Vergilius held that the sacrament had been validly conferred, but St.
Boniface complained to Pope Zachary. The Pope decided in favor of St.
Vergilius. Later on, St. Boniface accused Vergilius of spreading discord
between himself and the Duke of Bavaria, and for teaching a doctrine in regard
to the “rotundity of the earth”, which was contrary to 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 another sun or moon there, thou art to hold a council, and deprive
him of his sacerdotal rank, and expel him from the Church”.
We no longer
possess the papers in which St. Vergilius expounded his doctrine, however, two
things are certain. First, that there was involved, the problem of
“origianl sin”, and the universality of redemption. Secondly, St.
Vergilius succceeded in freeing himself from the charge of teaching a doctrine
contrary to Scripture. Most likely St. Boniface was already biased
against St. Vergilius because of his theory of “original sin”, misunderstanding
him, taking it for granted, that if there are antipodes, the “other race of
men” are not descendants of Adam were not redeemed by Christ. This is not
was Vergilius taught.
After the martyrdom
of St. Boniface, St. Vergilius was made Bishop of Salzburg in 766. He
labored successfully for the upbuilding of his diocese as well as for the
spread of Christianity, especially in neighboring countries like
Carinthia. He died at Salzburg on November 27, 784. He left a
reputation for learning and holiness. In 1233, he was canonized by Pope
Gregory IX. His doctrine that the earth is a sphere was derived from the
teachings of ancient geographers. His belief in anitpodes was probably
influenced by the accounts of those Irish voyagers as they gave count of their
journeys.
Practical Take Away
St. Vergilius was from Ireland, and was a holy man. He went on to become the Bishop of Salzburg, and did much to spread Christianity, not only in his area, but also in the neighboring country of Carinthia. He was noted for both his holiness, as well as his learning. He believed and preached that the earth was a sphere, something that brought a lot of controversy in his time, especially with his colleague, St. Boniface.
Saint Virgilius of
Salzburg
Also known as
- Fergal
- Fearghal
- Ferghil
- Vergil
- Virgiel
- Virgil
- Apostle of Carinthia
Profile
Benedictine monk. Pilgrim to the Holy Land in 743, and on the way home he stopped in Bavaria – and stayed. Worked with Saint
Rupert of Salzburg. Abbot
of Saint Peter’s monastery
in Salzburg, Austria; one of his monks was Saint
Modestus. Bishop of Salzburg in 765, ordained by Duke Odilo. Saint
Boniface twice accused him of heresy
because of his scientific ideas (including a round earth), but this reflected
some friction between the style and people of Roman and Celtic origins, and
Virgilius was always cleared of the charges. He rebuilt the cathedral
of Salzburg. Sent missionary priests to Carinthia, Austria.
Born
November 27
St. Virgil of Ireland, Bishop of Saltzburg,
Confessor
ST. VIRGIL was born in Ireland,
and distinguished at home for his learning and virtue. Travelling into France
in the reign of King Pepin, he was courteously received by that prince, who
kept him two years near his person, till the see of Juvave, since called Saltzburg,
falling vacant, he recommended him to that bishopric, and wrote in his favour
to Odilo, Duke of Bavaria, his friend and brother-in-law. Virgil trembled at
the prospect, and, for two years, commissioned Dobda, a bishop whom he had
brought with him from Ireland, to perform the Episcopal functions, reserving to
himself only the office of preaching and instructing, till he was compelled by
his colleagues to receive the episcopal consecration in 766. He rebuilt
magnificently the abbey of St. Peter at Saltzburg, of which he had been himself
for some time abbot, and he translated thither the body of St. Rupert founder
of that see. This church became afterwards the cathedral. St. Virgil baptized
at Saltsburg two successive dukes of Carinthia, Chetmar, and Vetune, and sent
thither fourteen preachers under the conduct of Modestus, a bishop who planted
the faith in that country. Having settled the affairs of his own church, he
made a visitation of that of Carinthia, as far as the borders of the Huns,
where the Drave falls into the Danube. Soon after his return home he was taken
ill of a slow fever, and, after a fervent preparation, cheerfully departed to
our Lord on the 27th of November, 784. Among the many saints who governed the
see of Saltzburg, whose lives Canisius has collected, there is none to whom
that church and its temporal principality are more indebted than to St. Virgil.
See his life in Canisius, Lect. Ant. and in Mabillon, Act. Ben. t. 4. p. 310.
Also Ware’s Writers of Ireland; Colgan, &c.
Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume
XI: November. The Lives of the Saints. 1866
ST. VIRGILIUS
Feast:
November 27
Virgilius was a
scientist before his time, and in his monastery of Aghaboe in Ireland he was
known as "the Geometer" because of his knowledge of geography. In
743, he left Ireland for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land but got no farther than
the court of Pepin, the father of Charlemagne. In 745, Pepin defeated Odilo,
duke of Bavaria, and sent St. Virgilius to be abbot of the monastery of Sankt
Peter and in charge of the diocese of Salzburg.
In accordance with the
Irish custom, the bishop was subject to the abbot, who was the real head of the
diocese. This was contrary to continental custom, and so Virgilius consented to
be consecrated bishop. His most notable accomplishment was the conversion of
the Alpine Slavs; moreover, he sent missionaries into Hungary.
In his first days at
Salzburg, he was involved in controversies with St. Boniface, one over the form
of baptism, which the pope decided in Virgilius's favor. Virgilius also
expressed a number of opinions on astronomy, geography, and anthropology, which
to Boniface smacked of novelty, if not heresy. He reported these views to Rome,
and the pope demanded an investigation of the bishop of Salzburg. Nothing came
of this and apparently Virgilius was able to defend his views.
Virgilius built a
grand cathedral at Salzburg, baptized the Slavic dukes of Carinthia, and sent
missionaries into lands where no missionary had yet gone. Returning from a
preaching mission to a distant part of his diocese, he fell sick and died on
November 27, 784. When the Salzburg cathedral was destroyed by a fire in 1181,
the grave of Virgilius was discovered and this led to his canonization by Pope
Gregory IX in 1233.
His feast is kept
throughout Ireland and in the diocese of Salzburg.
Thought for the Day:
St. Virgilius was not content to keep his faith to himself, but like many Irish
monks at the time he wanted to share it with others. He looked for a ripe
harvest and found it in Germany, where he labored for over forty years. If we
look around, we can always find some way to share our faith with others.
From 'The Catholic
One Year Bible': . . . We have not been telling you fairy tales when we
explained to you the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. My
own eyes have seen his splendor and his glory: I was there on the holy mountain
when he shone out with honor given him by God his Father, . . . - 2 Peter
1:16-18
Taken from "The One
Year Book of Saints" by Rev. Clifford Stevens published by Our Sunday
Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., Huntington, IN 46750.
Provided Courtesy of:
Eternal Word Television Network
5817 Old Leeds Road
Irondale, AL 35210
www.ewtn.com
San Virgilio (Vigilio?) di Salisburgo Vescovo
Irlanda, inizio VIII secolo - Salisburgo, 27
novembre 784
Fu monaco ed in seguito divenne abate del monastero Achadh-bo-Cainningh,
poi si recò in Gallia a Kiersy. Fu quindi mandato da Pipino il Breve a reggere la
diocesi di Baviera, ma non fu consacrato vescovo per ragioni politiche in
seguito alla morte di San Bonifacio. A lui si deve la prima organizzazione
della diocesi di Salisburgo e l’evangelizzazione delle regioni slave della
Carinzia, della Stiria e della Pannonia.
Etimologia:
Virgilio = verdeggiante, dal latino
Emblema: Bastone
pastorale
Martirologio
Romano: A Salisburgo in Baviera, nell’odierna Austria, san Virgilio, vescovo,
uomo di grande cultura, che, di origine irlandese, con il favore del re Pipino,
fu posto alla guida della Chiesa di Salisburgo, dove costruì la cattedrale in
onore di san Ruperto e si prodigò per diffondere la fede tra gli abitanti della
Carinzia.
Onorato
da vivo e da morto, ma poi dimenticato, questo santo è stato riscoperto nella
sua diocesi quasi cinque secoli dopo, e canonizzato. Poi, per altri cinque
secoli, rieccolo ancora “precario”, prima di essere infine registrato nel
Martirologio romano. Virgilio (Vergilius) è la trasposizione latina di Fergal,
il suo nome d’origine nella lingua celtica dell’Irlanda, l’isola,che non è
stata mai soggetta all’Impero romano e che è diventata cristiana con la
predicazione di san Patrizio (morto nel 461). Qui ha preso vita una Chiesa non
strutturata su diocesi e parrocchie, bensì sui monasteri e i loro abati, guide
spirituali dei monaci e delle popolazioni. Anche Virgilio percorre questo
cammino, monaco e poi abate, legato alle regole che nel monachesimo irlandese
sono molto dure; come del resto è dura la vita della gente.
Numerosi monaci d’Irlanda hanno poi continuato l’opera di Patrizio in direzione
opposta: dall’Irlanda raggiungevano la Scozia e l’Inghilterra, o sbarcavano in
Europa, nelle regioni non ancora stabilmente cristianizzate: in Francia, in
Germania e in Italia, dove il monaco Colombano, morto nel 615, fonda il
monastero di Bobbio (Piacenza). La tradizione “continentale” dei monaci
d’Irlanda continua con l’abate Virgilio. Durante uno dei suoi viaggi-pellegrinaggi
in Francia, si ferma a studiare nel monastero di Quierzy-sur-Oise, presso Laon.
E in quest’occasione viene presentato al nuovo padrone della Francia: Pipino,
detto “il Breve” perché è piccoletto, il quale ha messo fine al potere dei
sovrani merovingi.
Pipino ha esteso la sua sovranità anche alla Baviera e a parte dell’Austria, e
vuole fare di Virgilio il vescovo di Salisburgo. Lui accetta subito. Anzi,
comincia a fare il vescovo ancora prima di essere consacrato. Ma lì sul posto
viene subito combattuto come abusivo da chi non gradisce il suo dinamismo e il
suo rigore. (Sembra che debba poi correre a Roma per la consacrazione). Lavora
a Salisburgo e nelle campagne come in Irlanda, su due priorità: istruzione
religiosa e soccorso ai poveri. E usa le sue solite forze di prima linea: i
monaci. Specialmente quelli di Innichen (San Candido, AltoAdige) e del
Kremsmünster, in diocesi di Linz. L’efficacia del suo lavoro è documentata dal fatto
più convincente: lui, il forestiero accolto con diffidenza, ora è richiesto da
tante parti; città e paesi vogliono i suoi missionari. A Salisburgo fa
costruire la cattedrale, centro solenne e stabile di una comunità che va
facendosi adulta. E quando muore, viene sepolto lì, con grandi onoranze.
Onorato e poi dimenticato.
Quattrocento anni circa dopo la morte, un incendio distrugge la cattedrale: e,
negli scavi per la ricostruzione, ecco emergere la sua bara. È come se Virgilio
fosse appena morto: si diffondono voci di miracoli, si raduna gente in
preghiera. La figura del vescovo d’Irlanda riemerge dal silenzio: se ne
richiede la canonizzazione. Nel 1230 il processo canonico incomincia, si
raccolgono le testimonianze da mandare a Roma. Nel 1233, Gregorio IX proclama
santo il vescovo Virgilio. Nel 1740 il suo nome sarà accolto nel Martirologio
romano.
Autore: Domenico Agasso