The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-12-12
IRISH SCIENTIST :.
OF 9TH CENTURY !!
Virsilius," can Ignorant Monk, .
Said the Earth is Round
With Antipode.
Eight Hundred Years Before
Gallileo, the Italian, Saw
the Light.

One OF the most distinguished of
the Irish missionaries who preached
the Gospel in Germany about the mid
die of the eighth century. along with
st. Boniface,. was the celebrated and
learned Feargal, commonly called
Virgilius.- the most learned man Of his
time By Bruschus he is styled
most learned and pious of doctrine"
and other German writer's speak Of
him in like manner. Feargal, the Irish
name Of Virgilius. is the same as o.
Farrell. a. -. ..
He was born Of an illustrious Irish
family-probably in: the,s south of Ire.
land, as there. if atill at Lismore a
holy we'll called s'virgilius' Well'-
and raised to the pEiesthood before he
left Ireland. Hs arrived in France
about the year gas and was most :gra-
ciously received 10y Pepin. son of
Charles Martel then Mayor of the pal
ace. Pepin. WHO was father Of the
famous Chsclemagne, became greatly
attached to the Irish monk, and de-
tsined him for two years at Carisia-
cum, near Compeigne, on the Disc. He
then sent him and his companion with
strong letters of recommendation to
the Court of OtiHo, Duke Of Bavaria.
AT that period Bavaria had been par
TALLY converted by the labors Of ST.
Boniface.
tIuch. however, remained to be
tone; and it .was the wish. Of Pepin
that Duke ,Otilo should avail himself
OF the services of the two Irish
priests, of whose zeal and learning he
had ample proofs in the conversion Of
his own subjects. The Duke received
the friends Of Pepin with much con-
sideration., He, entrusted them with
his confidence and kept them near
himself, and on, aAis recommendation
ST. Farrell waseappointed abbot of st.
Peters Monastery, Salzhurg. While
III this position "a difference occurred
between himself and st. Boniface. The
cause Of this VIZ; IN TIE year 74s. a
priest not thorons conversant With
the Latin language in administering
baptism, made use Of this form: Ego
te bapizo in nomine Patria, let Fila,
ct Spiritua Sancti.'
The case was referred to st. Boni-
face, who declared that the baptism
was invalid; and ordered those so hap
tized to be baptized again. st. Farrell
and his Irish friend, Sidonius, after
ward Archbishop Of Bavaria, knew
how jealous the Church has always
been about rebaptizing those once val
IDLY baptized, and declared that, in
their opinion, the baptism in question
was valid. Boniface, however, per-
sisted in his opinion. The matter was
referred to Pope Zachary. His de-
cision. sent by letter to st. Roniface.
declares distinctly that. if the minister
of the Sacrament. through ignorance
Of Latin, and not from any heretical
purpose of Introducing new form.
pronounced the words as given above,
the baptism must be held to be valid.
This question being settled, anoth-
CT cause Of trouble succeeded: st.
Farrell was . great astronomer, far in
advance Of his agr. for he taught the
sphericity Of thee earth and the exist
ence Of the Antipodes long before Co.
pernicus or his System, was known. A
false view of his theory was sent to
Rome. charsinEo hin, !. with teaching
that there was another world and an
other sun. This was certainly not the
teaching of st. Farrell. According to
him, 1t was the same world and the
same sun and moon. and the same race
of men who dwelt in the opposite re-
gions of the world. st. Farrell, .ex-
planned the real meaning Of his words
to the satisfaction. Of the Pope, for we
find no further mention of the con-
tIuSSISys anu Iii u SIlOCL. tlIue alter
ward G5S) he was promoted to the
See Of Salzburg. go
1t is interesting to know that an
Irish monk should be the first to en-
terrain a true notion Of the existence
of. antipodes and the sphericity Of the
earth. Though these things are
clearly understood now, 1T was a bold
doctrine in the eighth: century, and
proves to us the surprising philosophi-
cal and geographical requirements of
St. Farrell, and to what a high de-
gree the sciences were cultivated by
the Irish monks. It is stated on good
authority that Columbus was: greatly
Influenced i'll his belief In the existence
of Western World by studying the
views of st. Farrell. as also by read
ing the account of st. Brendan's voy-
ages and discoveries. 1t thus appears
that to 1rishmen is due the. credit. Of
being the first to define the true form,