Cardinal George Pell, Australia's highest ranking Catholic has been charged with historical sexual assault offences, but will fight the charges.
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Victoria Police has confirmed Cardinal Pell has been charged on summons over multiple charges and is due to face Melbourne Magistrates Court on July 18 for a filing hearing.
Cardinal Pell, the third most senior Catholic at the Vatican, strenuously denies any wrongdoing.
The church stood firmly him after news of the charges broke.
"Cardinal Pell will return to Australia, as soon as possible, to clear his name following advice and approval by his doctors, who will also advise on his travel arrangements," a statement released by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney said.
"He has again strenuously denied all allegations."
A short time later Cardinal Pell confirmed that he had every intention of returning to Australia to fight the charges and clear his name. He said all the charges were false.
The Pope has granted him a leave of absence to return to Australia.
Cardinal Pell, who is in charge of the Vatican finances, lives in a block of apartments on a square just outside the Vatican walls in Rome, metres from St Peter's Square, a minute's walk from the doors to the Basilica.
Security is tight in this part of Rome - an army jeep with two alert, armed soldiers sits on the corner of the square, another on the other side of the wall - and the police presence in this part of the city is constant.
Cardinal Pell has retained leading Victorian criminal barrister, Robert Richter QC, and it is likely some of the argument that Mr Richter will make in court will concern the question of whether Cardinal Pell can receive a fair trial given the large amount of pre-trial publicity.
The precise details of the charges are not known. However, a legal source told Fairfax Media that the Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions, John Champion, has been assessing exactly what the charges against Cardinall Pell should be.
Three detectives from Victoria Police's Sano Taskforce travelled to Rome to interview Cardinal Pell last year.