'Incorruptible' body studied in Russia

ULAN UDE, Russia, July 4 (UPI) -- For the first time, scientists and theologians have gathered in Russia to try to solve the mystery of the so-called incorruptible body of Hambo Lama Itigilov.

Hambo Lama died in 1927 at age 75 while meditating and praying in the lotus position. He was buried -- still in the lotus position -- in a pine box filled with salt. When the tomb was reopened in 2002, Buddhist monks found their teacher's body had not decayed.

About 150 researchers and theologians are attending a conference at the Ivolginsky Datsan -- the official residence of the Buddhist traditional church of Russia -- near Ulan Ude to try to find out why, Itar-Tass reported Wednesday.

Buddhists believe Hambo Lama achieved Void, or Ultimate Reality, cleansing his body to such an extent it became incorruptible. Professor Viktor Zvyagin, who leads the department of personal identification at the Russian Health Ministry's forensic medicine center, said the body is no different from that of a person who died 12 hours ago, Itar-Tass said.

Conference participants are calling Hambo Lama "the Buryat Nostradamus" and are trying to decipher coded messages or predictions they believe he inserted in a book he wrote in old Mongolian.