Pope Francis meets with Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Eltz [UPDATE] VATICAN CITY, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Pope Francis met Monday with German Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, accused of spending $42 million on renovations to his home, the Vatican said. Archbishop Robert Zollitsch, the president of the German Bishops Conference, wrote to Francis, alerting him to Tebartz-van Elst's alleged spending habits, which are against the pope's instructions on simple living, ANSA reported. A commission was set up to investigate Tebartz-van Elst, who was also accused of lying about the alleged expenditures.