(ABOUT A.D. 618.)
[Benedictine and Galican Martyrologies; but at Arles on October 10th,
and Greven in his additions to Usuardus. Authority:--A life by an
anonymous writer, long posterior, and very credulous. It contains much
idle fable.]
S. Virgilius, a native of Aquitania, retired in childhood to the
monastery of Lerins, where he distinguished himself by his virtues, and
was in time elected abbot. One night, says the historian of his life,
who deals somewhat largely in popular legend, as he was walking round
the island, as a good pastor keeping guard over his sheep-fold, he saw
a strange ship drawn up against the shore, and by the star light he saw
the sailors moving on the deck. Then two descended from the vessel, and
coming towards him, said, "Reverend father, we know who thou art, and
greatly esteem thy incomparable virtue, the fame of which is spread
abroad through the round world, and many there are of the faithful in
far-off lands who desire to see thy sanctity, and hear the words of
wisdom that distil from thy lips. And now we are bound for Jerusalem,
come therefore with us and make this journey to the holy sites, and
thy name will be praised by all men." But Virgilius mistrusted this
address, and he answered, "Ye cannot thus deceive an old soldier of
Christ!" and he made the sign of the cross. Then the ship and the crew
vanished, and he saw only the stars winking in the waves.
From Lerins he was called, in 588, to take charge of the diocese of
Aries, by the unanimous voice of the people.
He is said to have been the consecrator of S. Augustine of Canterbury
to his mission in England, by order of S. Gregory the Great, from whom
he received the pall. He built several churches in Aries; amongst
others, the cathedral, which he dedicated to S. Stephen, and the church
of the Saviour and S. Honoratus. Whilst erecting this latter church,
the legend says that the people toiled ineffectually to move the
pillars to their destined place. At last they sent word to S. Virgil
that the truck was fast, and the pillars could neither be taken on nor
carried back. Then Virgil hurried to the spot, and saw a little devil,
like a negro boy, sitting under the truck, arresting the progress of
the wheels. Virgil drove him away, and then the columns were easily
moved. By his prayers he is also reported to have killed a monstrous
serpent which infested the neighbourhood. He was buried in the church
of SS. Saviour and Honoratus, which he had built.