The Vatican announced on Monday that in July it will open a trial of its former ambassador to the Dominican Republic on charges of sexually abusing boys while serving in the Caribbean and of possessing child pornography.

The case of the former envoy and archbishop, Jozef Wesolowski, caused an international scandal when it was learned that the Vatican had secretly recalled him from Santo Domingo, the Dominican capital, before officials in the Caribbean nation could investigate. The Vatican said he could not be tried in the Dominican Republic because he had diplomatic immunity.

Mr. Wesolowski came to the attention of the Dominican authorities after a television journalist aired an investigation reporting that the ambassador had a habit of picking up shoeshine boys along the waterfront and taking them to secluded spots. Some boys said he had given them money to molest them.

The former ambassador was defrocked by the Vatican last June and has been awaiting a criminal trial by the Vatican since then. It will be the first trial on sexual abuse charges held under new rules for criminal procedures put in place by Pope Francis.