Catholic RELIC tour, LA, SGV (3/17)

Over the years, the legend is enhanced to make magnificent Eurocentric art unlike reality.

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What happened?

The Holy Face of Jesus relic presentation and veneration and mass, Saint Therese Catholic Church

This seems to be the original.

It's a miracle. It's a miracle how anyone holds onto faith in Catholicism in the face of insults like this, a "third-class relic," by the church's own description, "a replica of the cloth Veronica wiped Jesus’ face with" that "has been touched to Veronica's Veil, the True Wood of the Cross, and the Lance," oy vey. By this rationale, the original could fall on the floor (be touched to) and thereby bless the whole earth, ushering in world peace, blind faith, and worldwide allegiance to Rome and the Vatican. Has the Church tried that? If they did, it hasn't worked. Blessed are the meek, for they [shall believe and] inherit the earth. What they'll do with it only the God knows. When is the Rapture again? All we can think of is Alanis Morissette and her Catholic sentiments: "We all needed something to cling to, so we did. We all had delusions in our heads. We all had our minds made up for us. We had to believe in something, so we did."

Pretty art: St. Veronica with Holy Kerchief (painted by Mattia Preti, 1650)

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A kerchief is a "head handkerchief."

*Christian Carnival Barker Voice* Get out of the bars, boys and girls, and into Catholic church to see the Holy Kerchief, the Vernicle (Sudarium or "Sweat Cloth"), Veil of Veronica or simply Veronica, the "Face of Jesus" relic.

Yes, just this one time, it may never come round to your neck of the woods again! You were wowed by the Holy Hand of St. Judas last year in Pasadena, but did you know the Creator's own son, drenched in blood, sweat, and tears while being whipped and beaten at the sixth Station of the Cross, had a kindness shown to him?

Veronica holding face of Jesus on her veil after wiping him

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, St. Veronica was kind enough to use her hanky on the lord, and with no time to emanate an entire life-size photocopy like he would with the Shroud of Turin, he left a headshot.

• 

  Icon of Black Jesus (Saint Issa)

  NOTE: While it may sound as if Wisdom Quarterly is mocking the idea of relics, sacred objects, particular religions, or those invested in their faith, a closer examination reveals that what is being mocked and made fun of is commercialization, corruption, and greed in the name of religion. This is what Mr. Show is aiming at, as well as taking on conservatives in government, Christianity, and hypocrisy in general. It is our confirmed belief that some objects are holy, sacred, divine, supernatural, extraordinary and miraculous. This may or may not be them, but such things exist. The Buddhist tradition, which preceded Christianity by six centuries, spoke of relics (sariras).*
• Put down the pints of St. Paddy's Day Guiness and join us as we go out to see them on tour just as we went out to see various stops of the worldwide Relic Tour by Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhists years ago in LA. Wisdom Quarterly will be at each stop as part of our ongoing "Adventures in Church" series.
• ALL religions are beautiful. They may not be true, but they are all beautiful.
• Those who wish to be spiritual should not let commercialized religion stand in the way.

• Preacher: Don't mess with Almighty God, Satan
• Good News (What To Think Network) Christian Conversion Therapy (Mr. Show with Bob and David)
• HOW TO SELL GOD: The Bible Machine: The 13th Apostle Marshal the Salesman, author of The Book of Marshal: Power, Passion, and Profits

Asian face Jesus?

(Veil of St. Veronica, 1500)

It may look like a splotch, but with
FAITH, it becomes a holy face.

Think about it. You loved the Blood Moon, a mere sideshow, you loved snow in LA's mountain tops in spring, you think fire, rain, and chilling cold are spectacles, but how about the authentic miraculous face of the creator-savior incarnate?

Yes, leggys and germs, this is gonna be a really big shoe. This may be your only opportunity to stand up close to a real relic (as recognized in both Catholic and Orthodox traditions, though Protestant not so much).

Hieronimus Bosch painted these hideous nutters, including Veronica's Veil in lower left.

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Artist enhanced version of image

It's authorized by your children's friends at the Vatican, within the fortress city-state, inside the vestigial heart of the Holy Roman Empire (not merely Rome, Italy, but the tiny, independent country known as the Holy See once dedicated entirely to the worship of the solar son-God Mithra and his mysteries), under CEO Francis, while he yet hangs on by the power of prayer and modern medicine.

Sudarium: Holy Sweat Towel 

Price? Priceless! Donations? Solicited.

Cost? What is money but the seed of Mammon, the joy of Shaytan (Shaitan), the love of which is the root of all evil? It's free. But buy paraphernalia at the concessions stand with plastic bottled water, sugary drinks, plastic trinkets, tchotchkes, Catholic bling, and curios. Booklets and stickers too. Why not invest in an "I Saw It 2025" tour t-shirt to wear on your deathbed or any future surface where you might meet G Almighty? Might score some leniency points with St. Pete.

The Holy See (gay Vatican) loves gays. - T-shirts, get your t-shirts here!

• But Satan (Shayatin) and the Iblis need me in a bar on Saint Patrick's Day to part and turn the toilet water green. Fiducia supplicans blesses gay Catholic marriages?

This is no joke, so don't dream of laughing (Alicante).

They made Veronica a saint for it

Need an indulgence (for the remission of sin by the Church for money)? Why not get a set of authentic wood simulated plastic rosary beads laced together with plastic twine to carry in your pocket, wear around your neck, or dangle from your rearview?! Now available in child and adult sizes. Please allow time for a long line of penitents and curiosity seekers ahead of you in the queue. No photography please as this relic replica may be very delicate and light sensitive.

True meaning of St. Pat's Day

Drive "snakes" out = kill pagans for Jesus - "Nazis" of the first Reich (Rome)

• St. Therese Catholic Church, Alhambra
• 6:00-10:00 pm, March 17, 2025
• Alhambra, LA County, California
• While here, cruise by the cloistered nuns of Carmel: Carmel of St. Teresa - Carmelite Monastery, Alhambra, California, who are always in need of vegan food donations to sustain their holy endeavors

Earlier the same day, St. Patrick's Feast Day to the secular world of imbibers and intemperate drinkers, see the Vernicle travel from the small town of Monrovia, a foothill community in the SGV, to neighboring Alhambra for a stop at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on Shamrock, just off of Foothill Blvd. (the famous Route 66):

• Immaculate Conception Church - Monrovia
• 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm, Monday, March 17, 2025
• 740 S. Shamrock Ave., Monrovia
• Los Angeles County, California

Not a joke, a real relic tour

Immaculate Conception Church - Monrovia, California

Is there any information?

Don't get your hopes up, huh?

Fortunately, St. Therese Catholic Church has something to say about this event in advance so parishioners might choose a St. Pat's party instead: "This year, being the 100th anniversary of the canonization of St. Therese,* we are having a special visit of a Holy Face relic on MONDAY, MARCH 17, FROM 6:00 TO 10:00 P.M.

"This third-class relic is a replica of the cloth Veronica wiped Jesus’ face with and has been touched to Veronica's Veil, the True Wood of the Cross, and the Lance that pierced Christ's side.

St. Patrick's Day celebration, Lenten Mission

Since this image was touched to the instruments of Our Lord's Passion, which were drenched in His Blood, it has therefore been touched to the Blood of Christ. And so is considered a “Living Image of Jesus Christ.”

(*Note: When she was still in the Carmel in Lisieux, France, our patroness’ religious name was Sr. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face. She was first given the name “Therese of the Child Jesus” when she entered, and she added “and the Holy Face” when she took the veil.) The evening will begin with a talk at 6:00 p.m., by Vicki Schreiner, author of Chronology of the Holy Face Devotion, followed by Mass at 7:15 p.m., and then veneration of the Holy Face relic until 10:00 p.m." Source: Church bulletin, sttheresechurchalhambra.org).

Eve Libertine/Crass "Reality Asylum"

WARNING: Not suitable for anyone under 70. Vile, vulgar, crass, obscene

condemnation of the holy figure of Christianity's savior figure! (Rated X)

(Why is Crass SO angry at British/Irish Christian religious oppression?)

Atheist/Agnostic point of view

Mr. Show exposes hypocrisy, ripping it a new hole

Once upon a time in the Valley of Los Angeles, California, HBO gave Bob Odenkirk and David Cross the money to develop a comedy sketch show for cable TV: Mr. Show with Bob and David. They ran with it and filmed one of the funniest and smartest shows (right up there with Amy Sedaris' Strangers with Candy) ever created for basic cable. It has only gotten funnier with time, having introduced the world to many actors who went on to stellar comedy careers like Sarah Silverman, Jack Black, and that shy bald guy. In this 30-minute episode entitled "What to Think" (S1E02), they brilliantly satire the U.S. government's censorship attempts, the hypocrisy of the Christian church (at least the televangelist wing of it), and greedy transnational corporations, while cussing a lot.

*Relics (sarira) are real in Buddhism

Śarīra is a generic term referring to Buddhist relics, although in common usage it usually refers to pearl or crystal-like bead-shaped objects [which Wisdom Quarterly has determined to most likely be silica] that are found among the cremated ashes of the Buddha, chief disciples, and other Buddhist spiritual masters (aka "noble ones," the Aryans).

Relics of the Buddha after cremation are termed dhātu ("elements") in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta [1]. Śarīra are held to emanate or incite "blessings" and "grace" (Sanskrit adhiṣṭhāna) within the mindstream and experience of those connected to them [2].

• Mind here refers to streams of cittas ("mind-moments")

Sarira are also believed to ward off evil in the Himalayan Vajrayana Buddhist tradition.

The Buddha, beloved figure of Thailand, SE Asia

Terminology

Cremation pyre relics of Shakyamuni Buddha

Śarīra (pronounced /ɕɐɽiːɽɐh/) means "body" in Sanskrit. When used in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit texts to mean "relics," it is always used in the plural: śarīrāḥ.

The term ringsel is a loanword from the Tibetan རིང་བསྲེལ (ring bsrel). Both of these terms are ambiguous in English; they are generally used as synonyms, although according to some interpretations, ringsels are a subset of śarīras.

Śarīra can refer to:

• Dharmakāya śarīra, which are sutras as told by the Buddha. According to Ding Fubao's Dictionary of Buddhist Terms, a "Dharma body" śarīra is "the Sutra as told by the Buddha: That which is unchanging in what is told by the Buddha, is of the same property as the essence of the Buddha himself, hence it is called the 'dharma body śarīra.'"
• Remains of the Buddha or other spiritual masters, either cremated remains or other pieces, including a finger bone or a preserved body, similar to the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox incorruptibles.
• Broken-body śarīras refers specifically to cremated remains. When used without qualification, it generally refers to the pearl-like remnant of a master left after cremation.

Pearl-like śarīras

Mass market holy Buddhist relic container

Although the term śarīra can be used to refer to a wide variety of Buddhist relics, as listed above, it is generally used to refer to pearl or crystal-like bead-shaped objects that are purportedly found among the cremated ashes of Buddhist spiritual masters.

These objects are considered relics of significant importance in many sects of Buddhism since they are believed to embody the spiritual knowledge, teachings, realizations, or living essence of spiritual masters.

If expecting this, disappointment awaits

They are taken as evidence of the masters' enlightenment and spiritual purity. Some believe that śarīras are deliberately left by the consciousness of a master for veneration, and that the beauty of the śarīras depends on how well the masters had cultivated their mind and morals.

Śarīra come in a variety of colors, and some are even translucent. Sariras are typically displayed in a glass bowl inside small gold urns or stupas (burial mound reliquaries) as well as enshrined inside the master's statue.

Śarīras are also believed to mysteriously multiply while inside their containers if they have been stored under favorable conditions.

Saffron threads are sometimes placed within or around the bowl containing individual śarīra as an offering. More

• The Catholic Church; Mr. Show with Bob and David; Team Recovering Catholics (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Michelangelo's David's penis is showing

Does it make it any better "art" if the penis is detachable? lyricist and musicians of King Missile

Don't look at his penis, Kids.

In the city that cherishes Michelangelo’s statue David as a naked icon and artistic masterpiece, concerns over its representation -- in vulgar, dick-centric, ass-flashing tourism tchotchke merchandise (see accompanying video linked below) -- spark debate in Florence, Italy.

The statue of David, completed in 1504, is more than a sculpture.

Donatello's David is naked!

It embodies significant historical and religious contexts [like the fact that this proto-Western culture did not circumcise its male or female children as it does now, removing the most sensitive part of the human body, the foreskin and clitoris, which are far more sensitive than the fingertips or lips], which curators fear are being belittled through the commercialization of its image, notably as frivolous novelties highlighting its penis, butt crack and nudity.

We should ban the Puritan Americans from visiting Europe.

Ancient pornography, obscenity called "art," diaphanous see through and aroused breasts

Under the leadership of Cecilie Hollberg, director of the Galleria dell’Accademia, there has been a vigorous defense against what is perceived as the misuse of David’s imagery.

Since 2015, Hollberg has seen to the initiation of multiple legal disputes, employing Italy’s rigorous cultural heritage code to halt the unauthorized and profane exploitation of the artwork.

Leonardo Da Vinci Vitruvian Man

Hollberg’s actions have led to the successful procurement of significant financial restitution since 2017 and have prompted protective measures for other cultural works such as Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man,” Donatello’s David, and Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus.”

Despite the formal protection ending typically 70 years post the artist’s death, as delineated in the Berne Convention, these Italian court cases challenge this norm and raise critical questions about the balance between cultural patrimony and freedom of expression.

• VIDEO: The fight for David's image - Italy; tries to protect its cultural heritage and the freedom to show life size penises in public art for all, including children, to see (AP)

Naked penis of sacred gymnosophist Mahavira, India

Does the right to uphold the dignity of art override the public domain status of these works?

Art market lawyer, Thomas C. Danziger, questions the extent to which cultural institutions should control images that are supposedly free to replicate and adapt.

Italy’s unique stance effectively grants indefinite copyright-like control to museums and parallels similar regulations governed by the Vatican and recently adopted by Greece.

French realms like the Louvre, by contrast, operate under a more open public domain policy due to the datedness of their collections.

The European Union seems to back a more liberal approach according to a 2019 directive, yet Italy’s application of its cultural code remains unchallenged at the EU level to date. More: Defending Michelangelo’s Masterpiece: A Battle for Artistic Integrity

• Beavis & Butt-Head hear King Missile, "Detachable Penis" on MTV (Mike Judge); Ella Bennet, The UBJ via MSN, 4/2/24; Amanda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Pat Macpherson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

My journey to discovering Omnism

Colleen Claire (herculture.org/blog) 2017; San A. Dee, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

I'm an Omnist who loves meditating like this statue of a famous religious figure (San A. Dee)

Growing up with a Catholic mother and a Hindu father, I was lucky enough to have parents who did NOT press their very different beliefs on me.

I lived in an open-minded, liberal community where I was around a number of different cultures and religions.

• Omnism 101: Full Guide (alittlebithuman.com)
• Don't call it "Ominism" or Judeo-Christian "Onanism"!
• VIDEO: I believe all religions are true

When they were married, my parent’s religious beliefs were never an issue for them. They began to accept each other's views [which aren't so different when viewed as Maitreya-ism or Messianic traditions waiting for the Teacher to come], for better or for worse.

Can I change religion and do something else?

Whether it was my dad steering clear of a steak house [which slaughters cows and distributes their body parts for profit], or my mother practicing Lent [a big religious 40 days of fasting and self-sacrifice like Islam's Ramadan and Buddhism Rains Retreat], I learned many traditions and customs in both faiths.

If someone would have asked me what I believed in last year, I wouldn’t have known how to answer.

As a kid, I always considered myself "Catholic" [like most of the planet]. I spent most of my childhood believing Jesus' dad was God, hearing my grandmother talk about Saint Mother Theresa, and attending an occasional mass (Sunday service).

A chalk mandala honoring many traditions as in essence One (Omnism/Wiki)

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However, I never felt connected to Catholicism. I just found it convenient to say I was Catholic in case it came up in a conversation. I truly felt like I had respect for all faiths.

Just over a year ago, I wondered if there was a denomination catering to believing in all religions. So I did what seven billion other people in this world do when they had a question. I searched online. Low and behold, I came across "Omnism."

Omnism is the recognition of all religions. To put it in perspective, they all matter and have a meaning for existing.

One main belief is that everything created in this world is important. While this may sound like a new term, it’s actually not.

Poet Philip J Bailey first used the word "Omnist" in his poem "Festus," which was published in 1839.

In summary, the poem explains a human’s relationship to God, and God's relationship to humans. Bailey goes on to simply say, “I am an omnist, and believe in all religions."

Although Omnism is not a religion, it is a sense of spirituality. There are no churches or sacred texts regarding the belief. There is no given theology, so individuals tend to independently formulate how they believe in Omnism.

What to believe when I believe everything?

It is a very open-minded and transcends thinking. The closest comparison to this term is Universalist Unitarian, which promotes strong spiritual interactions with the universe and all people around us. More

COMMENTS

• (Kirpal Singh) I am a follower of Sikhism which is based on teachings of Gurú Nanak who taught about Ik Ongkaar: One ultimate reality also called Satnam WAHEGURU & Oneness of Creation including Humanity. Based on it he emphasized Equality, Liberty & Fraternity in 15th century. He is Father of interfaith dialogue respectfully with each other.
• (Kelsa) Found this article after searching "Can I appreciate and believe all religions?" I feel at peace knowing Omnism is a thing - it just feels so naturally "right" to me. I just needed a name for it. Thank you for sharing your journey.
• (Euphoria) I am so glad there is actually a thing called Omnism. My whole life, I have been a christian but never truly felt that it was right for me. That all life around us results in jesus. Of course, I still found many great things in christianity but thought of it from a different point of view. I started interpreting Hinduising to my belief because I believed that God could come in different forms. I then looked into Islam and the Jewish faith and found many great things about them. It was only when I decided to truly look into my belief and found Omnism. It has benefited my well being a lot because I know longer have to think of life from one religious point of view. I can experience it through different ways!
• (Mina) Hi Colleen! Thank you so much for this wonderful post. It helped me to understand what the word Omnism represents. When you wrote "Universalist Unitarian, which inhibits strong spiritual interactions" I wondered if the word "inhibit" was what you were meaning. I would have thought it enabled or facilitated spiritual interactions? I am not certain if I misunderstood.
• (George Coniglio) My Ministry.
• (KR) About a month ago I figured out I am an Omnist. It fits my open minded perspective well. Even though I was raised Christian, there are some things and flaws about Christianity that I noticed, and I no longer agree with some of the Christian logic anymore. I still believe in a higher power/God, but not entirely in the way Christians do. Im so glad I found out my spiritual identity and it makes me so happy that I've fully discovered a part of myself.
• (Kathy sanders) I am so thankful that there IS a word for what I am. I am an Omnist. I thank you for your letter. For the longest time I also thought I was an atheist. But I always believed there was a god. Or something bigger and better out there. Thank you again for your insight.
• (Kari) I worked in Palliative and Hospice care for 15 yrs. Through my experiences Ive grown to believe that all Religions have a truth and path in the Universe to God or Enlightenment. I am so happy to see there is a term to describe my beliefs. thank you for your article.
• (Bronwyn) Im so happy to know that i don't have to decide to a specific way or form. Learning this has really opened my confidence and belief in my spiritual journey and allowed me to experience every type of religion in a beautiful respective way through traveling and life every day x
• (Sherri Davis) I relate with this very much. Thank you for putting a word and definition to what I have been feeling.
• (Kat) I have been thinking about this for months now since the pandemic started. I am a Roman Catholic but I still have this instinct that I need to discover other religions first before deciding whichever I will belong. I still have many years to discover the other religions. Wish me luck.
• (Alexander) That's so great to hear! I'm evangelical Christian, but upon finishing my research in regards to christian apologetics, I realized that cannot be my only solidification in my faith. To truly understand and cement your beliefs in one manner or another, you must look at all the possibilities. I encourage you to learn not only the general beliefs of a religion when conducting your research, but to look deeper into the doctrine (ex. Bible for Christians, Qu'ran for Muslims) as well as history to develop a certainty regarding your beliefs. Only then can you truly come to a conclusion. Good luck
• (Viswanatha) Hinduism is omnism. It accepts and respects all religions.

Buddhist hip-hop rap music video (comedy)

Arj Barker (dukkhagirl.com)

"The Sickest Buddhist" WARNING: It wouldn't be rap/hip hop without casual profanity.

Girl: Hey, baby, where you at?
Arj: I'm still at the ashram.
Girl: How's it going?
Arj: It's going killer. The instructor just told us to do a 45-minute meditation.
Girl: Really?
Arj: I nailed it in 10! (Lyrics continued below).

Hip Hop Buddhist Rapping?
Wisdom Quarterly (COMMENTARY)
LOL. Spot on, bravo, Arj Barker! The value of parody is that it allows us to hold a mirror up to ourselves and how we may be coming across to others. The only thing worse than being more enlightened than thou is being deluded about it. This is funny. It's more than funny. It's a remarkably clever indictment of pseudo-Buddhist doofus-hipsterism, which strikes a Zen pose while waving workshop tickets.

"The Sickest Buddhist" is a tuneful send-up of spiritual consumerism that sports tokens while neglecting substance. Granted Buddhism, yoga, and spirituality are fashion statements in Los Angeles and New York, and the San Francisco Bay Area. But is that all they are?

If so it's no wonder this song rings true and delights on so many levels. We are reminded of Yogi Ogden and SNL star Andy Samberg and his stellar side-career making parody music videos.

Buddhist meditation retreats are usually voluntarily silent and celibate intensive periods of practice. Yet the song begins with a phone call. They aren't held at (Hindu) ashrams, but Western would-be yogis don't know, because we conflate all Eastern paths.

And, of course, it goes without saying that meditation -- which is done free of expectations or ambitions -- is not rushed. The longer, the better when there's nothing to "nail." The girl then uses the common expression "owned." But we thought she was saying "OM-!" (as in a Buddhist OMG! minus the God part), which propelled this song to the top of our iPod playlist. Every line is a gem, an inside joke, because it may just be talking about us.

*LYRICS (cont'd)
Girl: No way! Owned! / Arj: I'm the ill-est Buddhist you've ever seen / All the ladies want to meditate with me / I look so serene when I bust a lotus / But I don't have an ego, so I wouldn't even notice / I think of you before I think of myself / That's probably why people think I'm so chill / But still, I'm h*ll of intense / My clothes have little bells and they smell like incense / It's so dope when I focus on my breath / Because I floss all the time and I chew Big Red / I don't smoke weed, but I burn sage by the pound / Wave it all around till the air turns brown / I'm all krunked up on Kombucha and juice / Never heard of kama sutra? Let me introduce / Step into my hybrid, we'll go over to my bed / Sixty-four positions, I think you're going to like it! /

CHORUS: The sound of one hand clapping? F**k that, yo! / More like the sound of a one-legged standing O! / I'm blowing up the Dharma like what /Because I'm the sickest Buddhist, and I'm kicking Buddha butt!

I just went to the class for a laugh maybe meet some chicks / But as it comes to pass I kick *ss at this pacifist sh*t / Non-attachment? I just mastered it! / You don't believe me, you don't think I'm peaceful? / Step up to my face and say that, b*tch / I'll non-attach your teeth from your lips / I practice compassion towards friends and enemies / But all these m*th*rf**k*rs trying to hate on my serenity!

GIRLS: He's so spiritual / So un-material / Almost ethereal / Eat organic cereal / His aura is so bright / His chakra's oh so tight / His energy is light / His hair is so right / He's so sweet, a Buddhist hunk!

Is it my Indian roots, my Guatemalan pair of shoes, / My extensive collection of expensive Tibetan flutes? / I don't know how or why I'm so Zen / I make the Power of Now look like the power of then / To h*ll with Dr. Phil, Oprah, and Martha / I chill with Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, and Siddhartha / Buddha taught me to be humble and kind / But I'm so f**k*ng present I'm like ahead of my time / Enlightenment eludes most till they die / But I opened my third eye on my first try, why? / I don't know, I guess I'm just da bomb / When it comes to modesty, I got it going on! / CHORUS (repeat)

Most Number of Temples Anywhere

The Way to Mandalay
WQ Firsthand Reports

Pagan, Burma [now Bagan, Myanmar] has the distinction of having the most number of temples in the entire world. It is like a "merit ghost town." Thousands of stone structures were built with the idea that building a vihara (monastery) or stupa (reliquary) garnered the builder the most merit. Pagan is a must see destination particularly on route to the grandeur of Mandalay.

Much like the competition with totems on Easter Island, prosperous Buddhists out bid one another to build the grandest and most beautifully decorated religious sanctuaries. There are thousands still standing across the valley in a vast expanse of northern Myanmar open to visitors who are willing to brave the dilapidated infrastructure, political corruption, social unrest (Karen tribes versus government forces), and moral dilemma of whether or not to visit a country ruled by a ruthless totalitarian regime.

Life lists: Pagan
Lucinda Moore
(Smithsonian magazine, January 2008)

On the banks of the Irrawaddy River, more than 3,000 temples stretch across a 30-square-mile plain in Pagan, Myanmar (formerly Burma). Most were constructed between 1057 and 1287 during a building frenzy initiated by King Anawrahta, who formed the first Burmese kingdom in 1044.

Nearly a thousand years after Anawrahta's reign, visitors can climb to the top terrace of his Shwesandaw Paya, or "Sunset Pagoda," to enjoy panoramic views of the sprawling city. Many flock to monasteries, which display ornate murals, such as the Ananda Temple's 554 scenes from past lives of the Buddha.

Over the centuries, Pagan's architectural wonders have survived pillaging by armies, as well as natural disasters, including a devastating earthquake in 1975. But many experts worry that they may not withstand the inauthentic restorations recently sanctioned by the country's military junta. "The real crime is that the temples are being rebuilt without attention to their original appearance," says University of Texas art historian Donald Stadtner.

Still worse crimes are being committed against Burmese citizens. After bloody attacks by the junta on monks and other pro-democracy protesters in 2007, some dissidents are asking prospective tourists to carefully consider whether the regime deserves their monetary support. Those who do decide to visit should check State Department advisories before venturing into the region (called Bagan by the current government). If history is any guide, Pagan will endure. Its majestic skyline, studded with gold, white and earth-red temples topped by bell-shaped towers and gilded spires, remains one of Southeast Asia's most exquisite sites.

Pagan, the valley of temples: International conservators have been concerned about Pagan's restorations since 1996, when Burma's ruling junta began cutting corners by whitewashing interior walls, using concrete as mortar, and constructing temples, some from the ground up, with new pink brick.

Sacred and Profaned
Richard Covington (Smithsonian magazine, Dec. 2002)

Misguided restorations of the exquisite Buddhist shrines of Pagan in Burma may do more harm than good

As we rattle along rutted dirt tracks in a battered jeep, Aung Kyaing, chief archaeologist of Pagan’s breathtaking 1,000-year-old Buddhist temples, points out an enormous pentagonal pyramid sparkling in the morning sunlight, dominating this arid central Burma plain.

“Dhammayazika,” he informs me as we bounce past a golden, bell-shaped dome with red banners and a flashy marble walkway. “Secretary Number One paid for the restoration himself.” Secretary Number One is Gen. Khin Nyunt, one of the two strongmen leading Burma’s repressive military junta. Kyaing, an affable scholar dressed in an immaculate white shirt and green longyi, the traditional wraparound skirt favored by both Burmese men and women, is showing me an archaeological disaster—the best and the worst of the government’s recent efforts to restore the ancient temples.

In 1996, the junta invited sponsors across Asia to donate money to help the Burmese rebuild the crumbling temples, but they spurned any professional assistance from international conservators. The resulting hurried and often sloppy restorations have risked destroying the very treasures that make Pagan unique. “The restoration campaign is catastrophic,” says Pierre Pichard, a French archaeologist long familiar with Pagan.

Like many of Afghanistan’s archaeological treasures, Pagan’s temples may fall victim to politics. But there are signs of hope. Pagan attracts nearly 200,000 foreign visitors a year, 12,000 of them American, despite the U.S. government’s imposition of economic sanctions in April 1997 and the country’s repressive regime. With the May release of Burmese dissident and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, 57, from house arrest... More>>