Advertisement

Catholic bishop spends €350,000 on wardrobes

Author thumbnail
Catholic bishop spends €350,000 on wardrobes
Photo: DPA

The lavish lifestyle of a bishop who is spending €31 million on building a new headquarters in west Germany was exposed on Friday, when it emerged he has spent €783,000 on a garden, €25,000 on a table and €15,000 on a bath tub.

Advertisement

The bishop of Limburg, Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, has been heavily criticized for the luxurious complex being built next to Limburg Cathedral in the state of Hesse. Earlier this week it emerged the costs had overrun by ten times the initial estimate from around €3 million to €31 million.

And on Friday Bild newspaper published a breakdown of the costs of the pricey project. They include €350,000 on built-in-wardrobes, €25,000 on a conference table and €783,000 on a garden.

His own apartment in the complex is costing €3 million with €478,000 going on furnishings. Guest rooms will cost €1.1 million and the new chapel €2.67 million.

CLICK HERE for photos of the Bishop of Limburg's €31-million project

The Nassauische Neue Presse newspaper also reported on Wednesday that the bishop's bathtub cost €15,000.

Although the money is coming from church funds, the bishop has been criticized for setting a poor example.

The 53-year-old has defended himself. He told the Bild on Wednesday: "Those who know me, know that I don't need any kind of grandiose lifestyle."

But the bishop’s own financial council has criticized him for apparently keeping them in the dark as the project’s costs mounted.

Jochen Riebel, the spokesperson for the diocesan finance council, told newspaper the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung the bishop was "either a sophisticated deceiver or that he's just plain sick."

A commission is being set up by the Catholic Church in Germany to investigate the spending.

The bishop’s expensive tastes have landed him in the headlines before. He was criticized last year after magazine Der Spiegel revealed he flew first class to India to visit poor children.

And on Thursday prosecutors claimed the bishop made false statements in affidavits submitted in two civil claims against Der Spiegel after the article appeared. They have now called for a punishment which could include fines.

READ MORE: Juliet's breast disfigured 'from too much touching'

READ MORE: Vatican calls rebel German diocese to order

The Local/tsb

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also