Roland, Thanks for pointing out the possibility that SFX remains may be those of a Buddhist monk. I was not aware of this claim. Here is the reference to the claim:
http://www.lakehouse.lk/budusarana/2006/01/29/Budu13.pdf The Buddhist monk was named Ven. Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula Thera It should be pretty easy for archeologists to confirm or reject this hypothesis by simple molecular genetics tests. But there might be some primary historical sources on this as well. I will try to dig into this, if possible. Cheers, Santosh > On Sunday, February 2, 2014 1:09 PM, roland.francis > <roland.fran...@ymail.com> wrote: > > Personally, in the manner of Protestantism, I don't beleive in honoring > saints. Of the little time we allot to God, it is best not to dissipate any > with > lesser beings. > > if one must spend precious prayers on saints, then it must be to respect the > memory of what they have done rather ask them for spiritual and temporal > favors. > Why ask the nobles in a royal court when the king allows you to ask him > directly? > > The worst of all this is to worship the dead body of a long gone saint > however > realtively well preserved. The problem with this is what has recently > happened. > Someone claimed that the body of Francis Xavier is actually that of a revered > Buddhist. > > Not being in a position to verify whether the body is that of the Spaniard > priest or of a Ceylonese Buddhist, wouldn't the spirit of the saint be a > surer bet to pray to if I was so disposed, rather than his questionable body. > > Ah, the ways of organized religion. > > Roland. > > > Sent from Samsung Mobile >
