:eek: BUCHAREST, Romania, June 19 - A Romanian priest suspected of involvement in the death of a 23-year-old Romanian Orthodox nun in an apparent exorcism ritual officiated at her funeral today and said later he was trying to take the devil out of her''. Maricica Irina Cornici, of the Holy Trinity convent in north-east Romania, died late on Wednesday after she was tied to a cross and left in a cold room for three days without food, according to police. The priest who runs the convent and four nuns were indicted today in the death after telling police they tied up the nun because she was behaving violently. However, the chief suspect, 29-year-old priest Daniel Petru Corogeanu, officiated at her funeral today, news television N24 reported. He told reporters that he had tied the nun to the cross to take the devil out of her’’.
When asked whether the nun was mentally ill and in need of medical help instead of exorcism, he responded: :eek: You can't take the devil out of people with pills.'' The nun was bound with chains to a cross and a towel was stuffed into her mouth to stop her uttering any sounds, police said. A medical examiner's report concluded the nun died due to dehydration, exhaustion and lack of oxygen, state news agency Rompres reported. If found guilty, the five suspects could face up to 25 years in prison. The Romanian Orthodox church has called the incident abominable’’ and has suspended Corogeanu pending an investigation.
``What happened is regrettable,’’ Corneliu Barladeanul, a church official in north-east Romania, told Rompres. He said the preliminary autopsy report said the woman had marks of violence on her arms, legs and chest.
BUCHAREST, June 23 - A Romanian Orthodox priest and four nuns have been detained on charges of killing a 
schizophrenic nun by crucifixion in an exorcism ritual.
The 23-year-old nun Maricica Irina Cornici died last week after spending three days tied to a cross without food or water in the cellar of a church in the north-eastern town of Vaslui as the priest prayed to drive out the evil spirits.
The General Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement today that priest Daniel Corogeanu and four nuns were charged with extremely serious homicide done with cruelty'' and depriving the victim of freedom. It would ask a court in Vaslui to approve detaining them for 29 more days for further investigation. It said a preliminary investigation showed the nun had died because she was tied to the cross without food and water and that she had multiple injuries on her arms, legs and body. The priest denied any wrongdoing. We are not guilty, her death was the will of God,’’ Corogeanu said before going to yesterday’s hearing at the prosecutor’s office in Vaslui.
Romanian media said the victim was a schizophrenic whose behaviour had convinced fellow nuns she was possessed by the devil.
During the hearings that lasted for 11 hours, dozens of Romanians waited outside the prosecutor’s office, shouting Satan in priest's clothes'' and You are bringing shame on our faith’’.
If found guilty, the four could face up to 20 years in jail.