A statue of German Cardinal Franz Hengsbach will be removed from its place outside the cathedral in the city of Essen after allegations of sexual abuse against him emerged, Catholic church officials said.
Instead of the statue, a monument to victims of sexual abuse will be erected, reports the German news agency DPA.
The controversy surrounding the statue, which sits just outside Essen Cathedral, arose on Tuesday when the German dioceses of Essen and Paderborn said they had opened an investigation into at least three allegations of sexual abuse against Hengsbach.
In the first case, it is alleged that Hengsbach molested a 16-year-old girl in 1954 while he was still an auxiliary bishop in the German city of Paderborn. Another case dates back to 1967 when he allegedly assaulted another woman during his stay in Essen and when he was already a bishop.
The latest accusation was made by a third victim in October 2022.
Hengsbach founded the Essen diocese in 1958, which he led until his death in 1991 at the age of 80.
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