[1/3] The doorbell of Cologne's Archbishop Rainer Maria Woelki is pictured in Cologne, Germany June 27, 2023. REUTERS/Andreas KranzBERLIN, June 27 (Reuters) - German police searched properties belonging to the Archdiocese of Cologne on Tuesday as part of a perjury investigation against Cologne Archbishop Rainer Maria Woelki linked to his handling of historic abuse cases, prosecutors said. The archbisopric said at the time the attempt to accuse Woelki of perjury was unfounded. Prosecutors in Cologne said some 30 police officers were involved in searches in six locations, four of which were in Cologne and included rooms in the archbishop's residence. The allegations concern abuse by priest Winfried Pilz who had run a Catholic children's charity and died in 2019.

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Persons: Rainer Maria Woelki, Andreas Kranz BERLIN, perjured, Woelki, Cardinal Woelki, Ralf Hoecker, Winfried Pilz, Pope, Friederike Heine, Madeline Chambers, Maria Sheahan, Ed Osmond, Alison Williams Organizations: REUTERS, Archdiocese, Cologne, Germany's Catholic, Catholic Church, Prosecutors, Catholic, WDR, Reuters Television, Thomson Locations: Cologne, Germany, Germany's, Rome