Pope orders inquiry into German church sex abuse scandal

Pope Francis on Friday dispatched two envoys to the Catholic Church in Cologne to review whether the diocese made errors in handling allegations of sexual abuse. Cologne Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki has welcomed the decision.

"Pope Francis has ordered an Apostolic Visitation to the Archdiocese of Cologne," Papal Nuncio to Germany Nikola Eterovic said in a statement regarding the review.

"The Holy See's delegates will form a comprehensive picture of the complex pastoral situation in the Archbishopric and consider any possible failings by Cardinal Woelki and his excellency Stefan Hesse, the archbishop of Hamburg," he continued. Hesse was the former head of personnel in Cologne.

What is the background of the scandal?

An investigation found over 300 cases of abuse at the church of children mostly under the age of 14 between 1975 and 2018. Over 300 abusers were involved in harming the children.

A March report into the church's handling of sexual abuse allegations found 75 instances where church officials neglected their obligations to deal with cases of abuse.

The scandal has caused many church members to leave Germany's largest diocese.