St. Virgil descended from the illustrious Farrell family of Ireland. He was ordained a priest before he left Ireland as a missionary.   Arriving in France about the year 743 he was graciously welcomed by Pepin who is the father of Charles the Great.  Pepin who later became the King of France grew very fond of Virgil. After about two years in France, Pepin sent Virgil to the court of Otillo, Duke of Bavaria for the purpose of bringing the people of Bavaria into the Catholic faith.  After some time in Bavaria, Virgil was appointed abbot of St. Peter’s Monastery in Salzburg, Austria.

After the death of St. Rupert, Bishop of Salzburg, Virgil was appointed Bishop and spent his life in increasing the faith of the people in his Diocese, rebuilding the Cathedral of Salzburg, and traveling to the neighboring provinces preaching the word of God to them.  St. Virgil is also called “The Apostle of Carinthia”.
 
St. Virgil was a great astronomer, far advanced of his own times.  He taught publicly - and was probably the first to teach - that the earth was round, that people lived at the opposite side of the sphere - at the antipodes.  He was far ahead of Copernicus and nearly a century before Galileo was born.  As it might be expected this teaching was unacceptable at that time and St. Virgil was required to refrain from publishing his theory.  Because of his fascination with geography and astronomy he is also known as “the Geometer”.
 
A Council held in Salzburg in 1274 declared and recognized St. Virgil as patron of the Cathedral and Diocese of Salzburg, and that his Feast Day be observed on November 27.  We are in possession of an authentic relic of St. Virgil which we received from the Church of Assumption through the kind offices of Franz Mayer of Munich, Bavaria.  The document which accompanied this holy treasure states: “ To all whom it may concern, by these presents attest and affirm that, for the greater glory of God and His Saints, have reverently placed a portion of the head of St. Virgil, bishop and confessor, and patron of the Church of Salzburg, in a silver case, shielded with glass, fastened with red silk thread, and affixed with our larger seal in wax, granting by the tenor of this document permission to retain it or give it to others.  In testimony whereof, we append our signature and our official seal.  Given at Salzburg, the 24^th day of March, 1887.”       - Francis Albert, OSB, Archbishop