GERMANY
The Guardian (UK)
Philip Oltermann in Berlin
theguardian.com, Thursday 10 October 2013
According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus advised his followers to “store up for yourselves treasures in heaven”, but an influential German bishop has been accused of storing up treasures in his earthly residence instead.
Senior figures within the Roman Catholic church have called for the resignation of Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, the bishop of Limburg, after it emerged that the cost of a building project on his property in the town has ballooned to 10 times the original estimate.
The new building, described by some newspapers as “palatial”, is expected to cost €31m (£26m) and features a standalone bath worth €15,000.
To add to Tebartz-van Elst’s woes, he is now facing legal procedures for allegedly lying under oath during a legal row with a news magazine.
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