THE Vatican has suspended a senior German Church leader
dubbed the "bishop of bling" by the media over his alleged lavish
spending.
The Bishop of Limburg, Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, is
accused of spending over 31m euros (£26m; $42m) on renovating his official
residence.
The Vatican said it deemed "appropriate... a period
of leave from the diocese" for the bishop.
The suspension comes two days after he met the Pope to
discuss the scandal.
"A situation has been created in which the bishop
can no longer exercise his episcopal duties", a Vatican statement said.
The bishop - and his spending habits - had become
infamous in Germany, where many people pay tax to the Catholic Church.
Calls were made for the Bishop to resign after he was
accused of lying under oath about his spending.There is no surprise in Rome
that the Vatican has ordered the Bishop's suspension from his duties,
correspondents say
He was criticised for a first-class flight to India to
visit the poor.
But his official residence is at the heart of the
criticism, after originally being costed at 5.5m euros.
German media are reporting that the residence had been
fitted with a bath that cost 15,000 euros, a conference table for 25,000 euros
and a private chapel that cost 2.9m euros.
The allegations have stoked controversy among Catholics
in Germany, where five centuries ago Martin Luther launched the Reformation in
Europe in response to what he said were excesses and abuses within the Church.
The BBC's Alan Johnston, in Rome, says all this was bound
to play badly with the new Pope, who has repeatedly expressed his disapproval
of senior clerics whose life-styles seem a little too lavish.
There is no surprise in Rome that the Vatican has ordered
the Bishop's suspension from his duties while the spending row is investigated,
our correspondent adds.
A spokesman for the German Chancellor who is the daughter
of a Protestant pastor, Steffen Seibert said that she had expressed "hope
that there will be an answer for believers, for people's confidence in their
Church".
In his absence, the Bishop's diocese will be administered
by a vicar.
Source: Guardian
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