Vatican Treasurer Cardinal George Pell became the highest-ranked Catholic to be sent to trial over historical sex offences on Tuesday.
The cardinal, 76, was impassive throughout the hearing in Melbourne that ordered him to face a jury on several charges, although half of the allegations against him, including some of the most serious, were thrown out.
"Not guilty," the top aide to Pope Francis said loudly and without hesitation when asked his plea, a stance he has taken since being charged last year.
Melbourne Magistrate Belinda Wallington said she was "satisfied" there was enough evidence for a trial on a clutch of charges, with a directions hearing due on Wednesday to discuss a trial date.
Cardinal Pell, who entered the court surrounded by a large police presence, was released on bail on the condition he does not leave Australia. He has already handed in his passport, the court heard.
The former Sydney and Melbourne archbishop has been on leave from the Vatican, returning to Australia to fight the allegations which relate to alleged incidents from the 1970s.
"Cardinal George Pell has at all times fully co-operated with Victoria Police and always and steadfastly maintained his innocence," said a statement issued through the Archdiocese of Sydney and attributed to Cardinal Pell.
"He has voluntarily returned to Australia to meet these accusations. He will defend the remaining charges."
The exact details and nature of the claims remain confidential, other than that they involve "multiple complainants".
But some of the alleged offending was at a swimming pool in Ballarat in Victoria in the 1970s and at Melbourne's St Patrick's Cathedral in the 1990s, the court heard.
Some of the most serious allegations were dismissed due to inconsistencies in the evidence, including claims of offending at a cinema in Ballarat.
Lisa Flynn, a lawyer who has represented hundreds of abuse victims in civil litigation claims in Australia, said the ruling proved no one was above the law.
"The charging of Pell for these alleged crimes reinforces that people should be and are treated equally in the eyes of the law," she said.
"This is a promising step forward for victims of sexual assault."
Cardinal Pell's case has coincided with an Australian national inquiry into child sexual abuse, ordered in 2012 after a decade of pressure to investigate widespread allegations of institutional paedophilia.
The commission spoke to thousands of victims and heard claims of abuse involving churches, orphanages, sporting clubs, youth groups and schools.
Cardinal Pell appeared before it three times, once in person and twice via video-link from Rome over the Church's handling of complaints against paedophile priests.
Australia's Catholic leaders have previously spoken out in support of him, describing Cardinal Pell as a "thoroughly decent man".
The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne on Tuesday said Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart would be making no comment.
But it said "Archbishop Hart expressed his confidence in the judicial system in Australia and said that justice must now take its course".
The Catholic Church globally has been plagued by allegations of sex abuse among priests, with the scandals haunting the papacy of Pope Francis, who in February announced the Vatican was reviving its anti-paedophile panel.
It followed a trip to Chile in January that was seen as a resounding failure after the Pope defended a bishop accused of covering up the crimes of a paedophile priest.
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Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
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