Josaphat
Saint Josaphat is said to have lived and died in the
3rd century or
4th century in
India. His story appears to be in many respects a Christianized version of
Siddhartha Gautama's story. His name derives from the
Sanskrit term
bodhisattva via the Middle Persian
bodasif. He was popular in the
Middle Ages, principally as part of a Christian usage of a
Buddhist story about Siddhartha, along with another legendary saint, Saint Barlaam.
Wilfred Cantwell Smith traced the story from a second to fourth-century Sanskrit Mahayana Buddhist text, to a Manichee version, to an Arabic Muslim version, to an eleventh century Christian Georgian version, to a Christian Greek version, and from there into Western European languages.
He should not be confused with Saint Josaphat Kuncevyc; nor should Saint Barlaam be confused with Saint Barlaam of Calabria.
See also: List of saints