Nicolae Corneanu, the bishop of Banat, who irritated Romanian Orthodox Church leaders with his non-traditional views, died yesterday at his residence, church spokesman Lucian Florea said. Bells rang out at Orthodox and Catholic churches last night upon news of his death.
In 1997, Corneanu confessed he had been recruited as an informer in 1948 when he was arrested by the communists. He said he had signed papers that led to the excommunication of five dissident priests in 1981 who had accused church leaders of prostituting the church to the demands of communist rulers. He also informed on priests visiting communist Romania "Of course I made a mistake. ... I gave into pressure," Corneanu said of his actions.
His critics said in exchange for collaborating he was promoted within the church and allowed to travel abroad, a rare privilege.
President Traian Basescu today praised "his interfaith dialogue in a spirit of tolerance." Corneanu helped the president prepare a 2006 report on the abuses committed during the communist era.