Connect to share and comment  Vatican suspends 'Bling bishop'
over luxurious lifestyle  Bishop of Limburg Franz-Peter Tebartz-
van Elst is accused of spending about $42 million renovating his
residence.  bling bishop suspendedEnlarge The bling bishop's
residence pictured on October 13, 2013 in Limburg, Germany.
(Thomas Lohnes/AFP/Getty Images)  The Vatican said Wednesday
that it had suspended a German bishop known for his excessive
spending.  Bishop of Limburg Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, 53,
also known as the "bishop of bling," is accused of spending
about $42 million renovating his residence.  How does a
renovation on a relatively small home (pictured right) incur
such costs?  Well, when you put in a $20,000 bathtub or $34,000
conference table, it begins to add up quickly.  Not to mention a
private chapel that reportedly cost $4 million.  Many people in
Germany pay a church tax to the state, which raised over $6
billion last year. Protests around the bishop's residence
calling for his resignation began in e