Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst charges dropped in Germany

Prosecutors in Germany have agreed to drop proceedings against the “bishop of bling”, Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, in return for a payment of 20,000 euros ($27,000).

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Limburg was accused of lying under oath over his flights to India.

Claims that Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst spent more than 31 million euros ($42 million) on renovating his official residence caused outrage.

Pope Francis ordered the bishop to take a leave of absence from his post.

An investigation into Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst’s apparently lavish spending is taking place.

Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst was facing prosecution in Hamburg over claims he gave false statements in a case against Der Spiegel magazine, which had reported that he took first-class flights to visit slum dwellers.

Church members in Germany pay a compulsory church tax out of their income.

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