June 18, 2005

Nun crucified.

A 23-year-old nun was literally crucified in a botched attempt at exorcism -- in Romania.
"God has performed a miracle for her, finally Irina is delivered from evil," AFP quoted the priest as saying.

"I don't understand why journalists are making such a fuss about this. Exorcism is a common practise in the heart of the Romanian Orthodox church and my methods are not at all unknown to other priests," Father Daniel added.

Irini Cornici, who grew up in an orphanage, suffered from schizophrenia. She "was denied food and drink throughout her [three-day] ordeal, had been tied and chained to the cross and a towel pushed into her mouth to smother any sounds."

UPDATE: Indictments.

12 comments:

hat said...

"Literally crucified"? I'd have to disagree on that one. That would involve being nailed to a cross, as well as having her legs broken.

Troy said...

Actually crucifixion took various forms -- obviously on cruciforms -- nailing, tying, etc. Legs were broken if the victim was not yet dead and the executors were ready to get on with it.

It sounds like this priest is more mentally ill than that poor nun.

Ann Althouse said...

Drethelin: I agree with Troy. If the concern is whether the nun suffered greater torments than Jesus, I'm not sure. Is there a need to think that Jesus suffered a more painful death than anyone else? I note that the nun was mentally ill, and would have had completely different sort of mental pain going along with her physical pain. She also was made to think that the devil possessed her, which must have been quite terrible. Presumably, Jesus understood his situation clearly. The nun was also left alone, while Jesus was made a spectacle for a crowd to watch. Jesus was surrounded by people who meant to kill him, along with some supporters. The nun may have understood that everyone was trying to help her.

Ann Althouse said...

I wouldn't execute the priest. There seems to be a woeful lack of education here. It's terribly sad.

hat said...

I fail to see how this death is in anyway a consequence of communism. Priests have been doing horrible shit centuries before communism, and throughout communism in other countries (cough molestation cough).

The priest and nuns need to be restricted from providing any sort of care to anyone with mental illness. they obviously have no idea how to deal with it.

Ann Althouse said...

Kathleen: Who said that? You're the first person to mention Muslims in this thread. It seems to me there are some ignorant and/or malicious people who derive things from religion that more educated and/or more benevolent people do not. I'm not seeing Islam getting blamed more than Christianity in this regard. I think, if anything, Americans feel freer to find something wrong with Christianity.

I think the point about Communism was that it suppressed religion and without proper education, people distorted the teachings of the religion. I think we might make a general point that a free society produces better versions of any given religion.

Be said...

I was going to say something snide about single-payer healthcare, but, well...maybe this isn't appropos.

Romania's got a lot of problems borne of French Colonialism, Communism and archaic Catholicism. God help them.

amba said...

Romania's problems go even deeper than that. The place could actually be cursed. (I've been there over 20 times, started out haunted and infatuated by the place and ended up fed up and repulsed.)

hat said...

Mormonism is not religion in a free society. The mormons specifically went west and founded their own NOT FREE society.

Be said...

Oh, Amba, I agree with you on the cursed thing. I was just thinking on the most recent past.

Ann Althouse said...

Kathleen: I kind of figured that, but I disagree with you. I think Americans feel free to slam fundamentalist Christians but go out of their way to summon up cultural relativism for Muslims.

Ann Althouse said...

Technogypsy: Check my update. The priest has been indicted.