‘Bishop of Bling’ meets with Pope

A German bishop under pressure to resign for spending around €31m on a luxurious residence said he had been heartened by a private audience with Pope Francis in Rome yesterday.

Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst of Limburg arrived in Rome over a week ago after cost overruns on his residence stirred anger among German Catholics and protests outside his cathedral, at a time when the pontiff is stressing the importance of humility.

A statement released by Limburg diocese said the bishop was “grateful for the very heartening meeting”. It added: “He and the Pope agreed the tenor and contents of their meeting would remain confidential.”