A retired German priest has been charged with 50 counts of fraud over the theft of €1 million worth of church donations, state prosecutors in Wuerzburg said today.

The former Roman Catholic priest (77) was detained in May on suspicion of taking donations and collection money from his church in Bavaria. Most of the money, including a large number of coins, was found in his apartment and bank accounts.

"A large portion of the money was recovered," Wuerzburg state prosecutor Dietrich Geuder told Reuters.

The priest retired from his parish in 2009. The state court in Wuerzburg will decide whether he should go on trial.

Reuters