Bishop Ignatius of Huşilor sent a message of “disapproval and repentance” after the sentence of the former hierarch Corneliu Bârlădeanu and a former Archimandrite, Sebastian Jitaru, accused of raping former students of the Huşi Theological Seminary.
The former bishop of the Hușilor was sentenced to prison for rape. Photo: Archive
Ignatius disapproves facts that occurred in the bishopric before he takes over.
“I’m sad”
In the message with the title “Disapproval and repentance” posted on his Instagram account, the bishop regrets that the name of the Episcopate of Huşilor was “defiled by the abominable sins of some church servants.”
“In the context in which human justice has made a definitive light on the abuses committed by the two convicts, as a bishop of the place, totally foreign to what happened and the situation of the Episcopate of Huşilor until October 2017, I do not think that the blame can be imputed for the simple fact that I am the successor of the former bishop Corneliu, as some people have to do it. of everything that happened immoral and in contradiction with the precepts of the gospel.“said Bishop Ignatie.
“I first found out, concretely, the abuse of these abuses”
Bishop Ignatius of Huşilor showed indignant that many people, including representatives of the Church, knew about the facts committed by the two church faces. but they did not talk about them and did nothing to protect the victims.
“I am sad and revolted that those who heard, or even at the level of rumor at that time, did nothing to defend those teenagers and young people from the sinful minds and grasping of some innocent souls. And here I consider all those who, watching or entering the filming, as well. Some who were the protected of the former bishop, did not sound any alarm on the fact that those young people fall prey to unimaginable sexual abuses for anyone who did not lose their sense of reason and moral clarity. I did not want to dirty my soul with such abjects of sin in the recent past of Huşilo EpiscopiaR, “added Father Ignatie.
The bishop listed the facts of the two convicts straight “Unqualified”.
“The truth and justice made to the victims and souls of their parents, who endured the confession with nodes in the throat, the emotional and soul suffering of their own children, is due first and foremost to the Holy Muceniţe Chiriachi, to whom I have prayed since my intrusion as a bishop of the Huşi, and the truth, Destroying innocent lives. the Bishop of Huşilor said.
The bishop asked forgiveness to the victims of abuses:
“At this sad and shameful moment for the Bishopric of Huşilor, of whom I personally feel the most overwhelm, I ask for forgiveness to the abused victims, as well as to all those who have rightly wore all the sexual and emotional abuses committed by the two convicts, having a hope that by repentance, self-criticism,“
“It is unfair, but not immoral, for the Bishopric of Huşilor to settle financially and morally for the sins of others”
Ignatie said that the Episcopate of Huşilor will pay the material damages, worth 170,000 euros, which you must pay as a civilly responsible party along with the two convicts.
“We will pay the moral damages and the costs, even if it is not the blame of the Episcopate of Huşilor. It is unfair, but not immoral, that the Episcopate of Huşilor will settle financially and morally for the sins of others, considering that it is an enormous amount, but also because there are many social-philanthropic projects and for the children. Unfortunately, no amount of money offered will be able to repair or compensate for the suffering and the soul traumas lived by the victims. Forgive us, Lord, for all the ones I have upset, for all the ones I have to humble on our fellow citizens, but also for the fact that we have not repeated and did not fully assume all the mistakes made! “concluded the hierarch.
We remind that, on Wednesday, the High Court of Cassation and Justice, convicted the former bishop of the Huşi Corneliu Bârlădeanu to eight years in prison in continuous form and sexual aggression.
With the former bishop, he was convicted, for similar crimes, the former Archimandrite of the Episcopate of Hușilor, Sebastian Jitaru. In this case, the judges reduced the initial punishment by one year. Jitaru has to execute 14 years and two months of detention.
The rapes that rocked the Romanian Orthodox Church
Sexual abuses and rapes came to light in 2017, when Corneliu Bârlădeanu was blackmailed by three clergy, including Archimandrite Sebastian Jitaru, with compromising video recordings.
He complained to DNA for blackmail, and the three clergy were sent to court and convicted.
Victims were students of theological seminar
But the shots did not stop here. Reporters from “Be Light” revealed that there is at least one video evidence, which demonstrates the sexual abuse of the former bishop of Huși, Corneliu Onilă, did not reach the Prosecutor’s Office next to the Iași Court of Appeal.
Following the investigations, journalists detailed how sexual abuses on seminar students took place, even in the prelates.
The Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Iași Court of Appeal decided to reopen the criminal investigation.
The former bishop of the Hușs has not assigned the charges
Bârlădeanu, who retired from office in 2017, denied all the accusations, claiming that the images that incriminate them are tricked. Throughout this period, he was in penance at the Văratec Monastery and kept his rank of withdrawn bishop.
