[4] Around 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 Pippin the Younger, who was then Mayor of the Palace under Childeric III of Franconia.

He probably used a copy of the Collectio canonum Hibernensis (an Irish collection of canon law) to advise him to receive royal unction in 751, to assist his recognition as king Pippin III after the deposition of Childeric.

Later on, Boniface accused Virgil of spreading discord between himself and Duke Odilo of Bavaria and of teaching a doctrine in regard to men descended not from Adam, which was "contrary to the 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 and moon there, thou art to hold a council, and deprive him of his sacerdotal rank, and expel him from the church.

Two things, however, are certain: first, that there was involved the problem of original sin and the universality of redemption; secondly, that Virgil succeeded in freeing himself from the charge of teaching a doctrine contrary to Scripture.

It is likely that Boniface, already biased against Virgil because of the preceding case, 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.

[3] After the martyrdom of Boniface, Virgil was made Bishop of Salzburg in 766 or 767 and laboured successfully for the upbuilding of his diocese as well as for the spread of Christianity in neighbouring heathen countries, especially in Carinthia.