History Challenge & Journal

[caller]

Not Roosevelt.

Not Peking.

Not Rhodes.

Actually, it was through something SM mentioned in this thread, that I thought of this - don't go searching as there is no obvious connection - just my train of thought and because I've been there, but thats not my photo.

It really is quite oblique and an oddity, I guess? No real significance. So a clue:

Possibly its most well known occupant(?) is there because of China.

[caller]

Should of added, its well covered on the 'net.

[Jimbob]

not yet warming to the clues, Tease us some more.

[Jimbob]

same same but different
while we stumble over Caller's question I pose this one.
not so oblique and not so hard

Who was he?
Born in Europe of wealthy family but died and originally buried in Asia..
Became a holy man in India but also controversial
His name is used on many buildings in nearly every country in Asia
his right arm was taken in the cause.

I expect from sandman a quick answer

[Nereus]

Should of added, its well covered on the 'net.

Bloody thing ruined my afternoon map.

[Nereus]

Should of added, its well covered on the 'net.

Bloody thing ruined my afternoon map.

Err, NAP!

[Nereus]

same same but different
while we stumble over Caller's question I pose this one.
not so oblique and not so hard

Who was he?
Born in Europe of wealthy family but died and originally buried in Asia..
Became a holy man in India but also controversial
His name is used on many buildings in nearly every country in Asia
his right arm was taken in the cause.

I expect from sandman a quick answer

Francis Xavier

[dtaai-maai]

What's this then?

[PeteC]

same same but different
while we stumble over Caller's question I pose this one.
not so oblique and not so hard

Who was he?
Born in Europe of wealthy family but died and originally buried in Asia..
Became a holy man in India but also controversial
His name is used on many buildings in nearly every country in Asia
his right arm was taken in the cause.

I expect from sandman a quick answer

Francis Xavier

I think you've got it there Kevin. Seeing the name and re-reading the question, it fits. I didn't know about the 'arm' though. Have to look it up punee. Pete

[dtaai-maai]

^^ Oh it's definitely the right chap, though Jimbob was telling porkies when he said it was 'not so hard'...
Yes, apparently someone took the bone of his right forearm, the one he used to bless everyone or heal 'em or whatever, and it's been displayed in a reliquary ever since - and there was me hunting left right and centre for one-armed European holy men in Asia...

[sandman67]

when I was living in Goa I heard about this from the locals. He died in Goa, and some team of holy relic hunters tried to rob his corpse but only managed to get away with an arm or something....it was a good few years ago and I was very very stoned.

Its also St Francis Xavier to give him his proper title. He was a Jesuit missionary and early Orient explorer. VERY big in Goa....its an ex-Portuguese colony and mostly Catholic - all the schools there are called after him.

Great friendly laid back people, lovely scenery....but full of soap dodging dreadlocked full moon partying sh*theads and chavs who mess it up. And if you think the police here are bad .....

My recc if you go there is head right north or down south of the state....the middle bit is all full of soap dodgers and "all included" resort hell. Karnataca southwards next door along the coast is well worth a long visit especially round Cochin.

[Jimbob]

I thought I would make it a little cryptic. A simple quiz is often best
I went to a primary school and high school branded with St. Frank. Four years ago I wandered into the St Francis Xavier Cathedral fo Bejing by accident. The hymns in mandarin were superb.
So he was buried first near Hong Kong.
His great stumbling block was getting staff who could master tonal languages.

[sandman67]

While we all mangle our brains with Callers challenge a little riddle to keep you occupied

A house for all, a house for one
My 16 legs weigh 60 tonnes
I still can claim the greatest span
A wondrous work of long dead man
Though I posess but a single eye
A wall builder sat here in days gone by.

What Am I?

[dtaai-maai]

I reckon it's a temple - maybe the Pantheon? Something to do with Hadrian anyway!

Edit: yes, Pantheon - all Gods

[sandman67]

see...not too hard eh?

DM gets it in a jiffy

Its the PANTHEON in Rome.

A house for all, a house for one
originally a temple for all gods, it is now a Catholic church
My 16 legs weigh 60 tonnes
16 pillars hold up its portico, each single piece column of Egyptian marble wieghs 60 tonnes
I still can claim the greatest span
its the largest span concrete dome in the world and has been for the last 1800 years or so
A wondrous work of long dead man
it remains an engineering marvel to this day
Though I posess but a single eye
the window in the roof so the gods can see in is the Oculus - "eye"
A wall builder sat here in days gone by.
The current one, its third incarnation, was used by Hadrian as his court