The alleged victims of Cardinal George Pell, who has been accused of numerous historical sexual offenses, are to be questioned in court for the first time this week.
A tired-looking Pell arrived at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday accompanied by several police officers who had to help him through an international media scrum as he walked into the court house.
He stood down from his post as Vatican treasurer in June last year to fight the case in his home country of Australia after being charged by Victoria police.
He is required to attend Melbourne Magistrates Court each day of the four-week long committal hearing.
Cardinal Pell strongly denies all the allegations against him, and his lawyer has already informed the court he will officially be pleading not guilty.