Bavaria, Benedict XVI "willing to testify" in a trial of a priest accused of pedophilia

Pope Emeritus

(95) intends to defend himself in the face of a

with the Provincial Court of

, in German Bavaria, as part of an investigation into possible

by

.

This was confirmed by the spokesman of the same Tribunal, without specifying in what forms and in what times the successor of John Paul II will provide his self-defense in court.

The announcement on the availability of Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, in fact, for now "does not present elements of content", explained the spokeswoman.

The complaint was filed by a man now 38, who claimed to have been abused by a pedophile priest, and involves Ratzinger as

at the time (1977-1982), when the accused religious was transferred to that diocese.

The man also reported being abused by a

priest , Peter H., in the locality of

.

A report on the priest, released last January, refers

;

but instead of reporting the incident, the archdiocese is accused of having transferred the religious to other parishes, where the abuses have been repeated.

have been presented

: in addition to the priest, already condemned, and the predecessor of Pope Francis, Cardinal

, Ratzinger's successor at the head of the archdiocese, and the archdiocese itself are involved.

This is a civil action, given that the matter no longer has any value on the criminal level.

"If the Catholic Church and the accused - with the exception of the well-known repeat offender Peter H. - stick to what is constantly affirmed, that is, to maintain their Christian commitment and to recognize the injustice committed, the cause will be successful" he said. plaintiff's attorney,

, declared .

"If they don't, the damage to their reputation will be even more serious and the Catholic Church will accelerate the erosion of faith," the lawyer added.

If the pope emeritus had not declared himself willing to defend he would have faced a

.

Ratzinger relied on the law firm Hogan Lovells.

The four denounced have asked for an extension, explained the spokeswoman for the Bavarian court, and have until January 24 next to argue the defense on the content level.