Berlin - A Catholic priest in Germany went on trial on Monday charged with a total of 101 crimes including blackmail, fraud, breach of trust, coercion and assault.

Forty-six of the charges including causing bodily harm and extortion facing the 39-year-old, who has not been named, relate to a relationship to a woman whom he met through his priestly duties in 2003.

Prosecutors also accuse him of giving false information to obtain two loans of €120 000 (about R1-million) from the diocese of Freiburg in southern Germany as well as a further €9,000 from a local parish in the same area.

The trial was due to run until October 17.