The Canadian embassy in Colombo has refused visa to a Buddhist monk due to the applicant’s passport displaying the titles Venerable and Thera, according to media reports.
Ven Havpe Somananda Thera, the chief incumbent of Sri Maha Vihara, Pamankada who had been invited by a Buddhist monk in Canada to attend a religious function there was asked by the Canadian embassy officials to remove the titles Venerable and Thera from his passport if he wanted a visa to enter Canada.
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