The Court of Appeal in Victoria has rejected Cardinal George Pell's appeal of his conviction for sexually assaulting two 13-year-old choirboys in the mid-1990s, and he will stay in prison.

The panel of three senior judges rejected the appeal from the most-senior Roman Catholic official in the world to be convicted in the global sex abuse scandal.  By a vote of 2-1, they determined that the jury made the right decision given the evidence presented at the five-week trial last December. 

"There has been vigorous and sometimes emotional criticism of the Cardinal and he has been publicly vilified in some sections of the community," read a portion of the summary of the judgment.  "It is fair to say that his case has divided the community."

One of the victims is dead.  A statement from the surviving victim, Vivian Waller, explained that he had come forward after so many years after attending the funeral for the other victim.

"It is four years since I reported to the police.  The criminal process has been stressful.  The journey has taken me to places that, in my darkest moments, I feared I would not return from," he wrote.  "I had experienced something terrible as a child, and I wanted some good to come of it."

Pell is said to be "disappointed" in the ruling and maintains his innocence, and his legal team is looking into another appeal to the High Court.

However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters "the courts have done their job" and he would strip Pell of the Order of Australia honor he received in 2005.