1996

* Pell appointed Archbishop of Melbourne by Pope John Paul II

* Pell sexually abuses two 13-year-old choirboys after a Sunday solemn mass at St Patrick's Cathedral, according to a later jury finding.

* A second indecent act is committed by Pell against one of the choirboys in a corridor at the cathedral, the same jury found.

2001-2014

* Pell serves as Archbishop of Sydney, 2001-2014.

* He is made a cardinal in 2003.

* In February 2014, Pell is appointed to a senior role at the Vatican, responsible for the annual budget of the Holy See and the Vatican.

2016

* The Herald-Sun reports Pell is being investigated by Victoria Police's Sano taskforce for "multiple offences" committed while he was a priest in Ballarat in the 1970s and Archbishop of Melbourne.

* Pell says the allegations are "without foundation and utterly false".

* Under Vatican rules, Pell gives Pope Francis his resignation on his 75th birthday, as is customary. It is not accepted.

* Victoria Police officers travel to Rome to interview Pell over the abuse claims. He voluntarily participates in the interview.

2017

JUNE 2017

* Pell is charged with multiple counts of historical child sexual offences.

* He denies the charges and vows to clear his name.

* Pell takes leave from his Vatican finance chief role to fight the charges.

JULY 2017

* Pell returns to Australia.

* He hires top barrister Robert Richter QC.

* Supporters set up a fund to help Pell fight the charges.

2018

MARCH 2018

* Prosecutors drop one of the charges against Pell.

* A month-long committal hearing begins to determine if Pell will face trial.

* Prosecutors withdraw more charges.

* Mr Richter claims police conducted a "get Pell operation" and accuses Melbourne magistrate Belinda Wallington of bias. She refuses to disqualify herself from the case.

MAY 2018

* Ms Wallington orders Pell stand trial on some charges but throws out others.

* Pell formally pleads "not guilty".

* Two trials are ordered, separating the 1970s and 1990s allegations.

AUGUST 2018

* The 1990s "cathedral trial" begins in the Victorian County Court in Melbourne.

* Pell pleads not guilty again to one charge of sexual penetration of a child under 16 and four of indecent acts with a child, over incidents involving two 13-year-old choirboys at St Patrick's Cathedral in 1996.

SEPTEMBER 2018

* The jury is discharged, unable to reach a verdict following a week of deliberation. Some jurors weep.

NOVEMBER 2018

* A retrial begins. The jury members aren't told of the previous hung jury.

DECEMBER 2018

* Pell is found guilty on all charges by a unanimous jury.

* Mr Richter says Pell will appeal.

* Suppression orders prevent Australian media reporting the verdict but it spreads through international media within hours.

2019

FEBRUARY 2019

* Hearings begin ahead of the second trial. Prosecutors drop another charge.

* An appeal is filed against the cathedral trial conviction.

* A County Court judge deems vital evidence inadmissible.

* Prosecutors withdraw all remaining charges against Pell and drop a second trial over allegations Pell indecently assaulted boys in Ballarat in the 1970s when he was a parish priest.

* Pell is taken into custody on February 27 as the plea hearing begins.

MARCH 2019

* Pell is sentenced by County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd to a maximum of six years in prison. He must serve at least three years and eight months in jail before being eligible for parole. He will be a registered sex offender for life.

JUNE 2019

* Court of Appeal considers Pell's application to challenge his conviction on June 5 and 6.

AUGUST 2019

* Court of Appeal rejects Pell's appeal in a 2-1 decision, meaning he will remain behind bars.

SEPTEMBER 2019

* Pell lodges a special leave to appeal application with the High Court

NOVEMBER 2019

* Two High Court judges refer Pell's application to the full court to hear appeal arguments.

MARCH 2020

* Full bench of the High Court hears Pell's appeal arguments.

APRIL 2020

* All seven judges of the High Court quash Pell's conviction, allowing him to walk free from Barwon Prison on April 7

Australian Associated Press