Crucified nun dies in 'exorcism'

2005-06-17 21:38

Bucharest - A 23-year-old Romanian nun died after she was tied to a cross in an apparent exorcism ritual and left in a cold room for three days without food, said police on Friday.

Maricica Irina Cornici of Holy Trinity convent in northeast Romania died late on Wednesday.

Mihaela Straub of the police said that a post-mortem was being held.

A monk and four nuns at the convent told police the young nun had been chained to a cross and kept without food apparently because she had been behaving violently.

Straub said: "They all said she was possessed and they were trying to cast out the evil spirits."

Straub said the nun was bound to a cross with chains and a towel was stuffed into her mouth to stop her uttering any sounds.

The local bishop's office of the Romanian Orthodox Church had begun an investigation. Straub said police were investigating.

- SAPA