Pope Francis visits Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka

Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka

Pope Francis became the second pope to visit a Buddhist temple Wednesday, changing his schedule at the last minute to pay his respects at an important place of worship in Sri Lanka’s capital and to witness a key ritual for Buddhists: the opening of a casket of relics of two important disciples of the Buddha.

Francis listened respectfully as Buddhist monks chanted and prayed while opening the stupa, or casket, containing relics in the Agrashravaka Temple, the Vatican said.

Usually, the relics are put on display only once a year, and Buddhists from around Sri Lanka line up for days to pay homage to them since it is such a rare privilege.

The head monk at the temple, Banagala Upatissa, told The Associated Press that allowing the pope to witness the relics “is the highest honor and respect we can offer to his holiness.”

Upatissa had invited Francis to visit the temple when he greeted him at Colombo’s airport Tuesday, the Vatican said. Upatissa, who heads the Mahabodhi Society Headquarters, an important Buddhist organization, is active in interfaith dialogue and visited the Vatican during Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy.

St. John Paul II visited a Buddhist temple during a 1984 visit to Thailand.