Story By: Georgina Jadikovska, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash

A German priest has reportedly taken his own life after it was confirmed he was being investigated for child abuse.

The incident involved a minister of the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in the city of Cologne in Germany, according to local media.

The administration of the Archdiocese of Cologne, which has its seat at Cologne Cathedral, announced the minister’s early retirement last week.

Four days later, the man allegedly killed himself even though the church offered him pastoral care with emotional and spiritual support.

According to the diocese, the priest’s superiors prohibited him from performing his church duties and forbade any contact with children after an unknown man accused him of sexual abuse in December 2020. He claimed the minister was involved in child abuse in the 1990s.

The allegation triggered an internal investigation within the church, after which the case was forwarded to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in the city of Bonn.

The Archdiocese of Cologne has been receiving a lot of attention from the German public lately, especially due to alleged involvement in child abuse scandals of those in charge of the Catholic Church.

Most of the criticism has fallen on Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, 64, who publicly admitted his regret for not openly clarifying the situation and keeping an expert report for the alleged sexual abuse cases under lock and key due to legal concerns.

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