Catholic Exorcism priest denies murder
Pastor Dale Morgan
Catholic Exorcism priest denies murder*
By Michael Leidig in Vienna
(Filed: 22/09/2006)
A Catholic priest and four Catholic nuns have pleaded not guilty to
murdering a young nun who was strapped to a crucifix with a cloth in her
mouth during a five-day crucifixion ritual.
Father Petru Corogeanu and sisters Nicoleta Arcalianu, Adina Cepreaga,
Simona Bardanas and Elena Otel told the court in Vaslui, eastern
Romania, yesterday that they had performed the exorcism at the Tanacu
Monastery to try to help 23-year-old Irina Cornici.
They said at the time that she had been possessed by Satan. It emerged
after her death that Cornici had been diagnosed as a schizophrenic.
Father Corogeanu told the court that the exorcism ritual was "quite
normal" and blamed medics who attended to Cornici for her death. He has
been excommunicated.