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Antipodes

1910 New Catholic Dictionary

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1910 New Catholic Dictionary
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(Greek: anti, against; pous, foot)

Term designating the position of human beings on the other side of the earth "with their feet against ours" when the earth was supposed to be flat. Churchmen like Augustine were interested in the question only because it cast doubt on the unity of the human race. The apostle of Germany, Boniface, imputed this among other erroneous opinions to Vergilius, a missionary in Bavaria. Pope Saint Zachary bade Boniface to bring him to trial for his perverse teachings. There is no evidence that he was ever tried or condemned. On the contrary, he became Archbishop of Salzburg and is revered as a saint. He must have made it clear that he did not believe in a race of human beings not sprung from Adam.