Cardinal George Pell Australia's highest ranking Catholic, is set to be charged regarding serious sex offences today.
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Victoria Police are expected to announce the charges within hours.
There are expected to be up to three serious sex assault charges, including at least one count of rape
The announcement is set to send shockwaves through the Catholic Church in Australia and around the world.
As Australia has no extradition treaty with the Vatican, Cardinal Pell may avoid prosecution should he choose not to return to Victoria, but he is expected to return to fight the charges.
Three detectives from Victoria Police's Sano Taskforce travelled to Rome to interview Cardinal Pell about the allegations last year.
In May this year, Victoria Police received advice from the Department of Public Prosecutions regarding the investigation.
It was the second time the DPP had been asked to review the brief.
On May 25, Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said a decision was "imminent" about the investigation into Cardinal Pell.
He has previously been accused of sexually abusing a number of boys.
He has repeatedly and emphatically denied all allegations, but said he would continue to co-operate with the police investigation.
Cardinal Pell was a priest in Ballarat before becoming Archbishop of Melbourne and then being appointed as a Cardinal.
