In the third century AD, five Christian missionaries arrive in Abruzzo from Apulia in Southern Italy. Their task is to spread the Christian message in that region heavily oppressed by the pagan Romans. To curb the proliferation of Christianity, the Roman priest of Offidio, in today’s L’Aquila City, is obligating people to sacrifice a victim in the temple, on pain of death. Three of the five missionaries are captured, forced into submission, but they refuse to betray their faith, paying with their lives. The only two who manage to run away from this sad fate are the old Justin and his niece, Giusta. They both flee deep into the forest where soldiers cannot find them. Aurelio is a young slave who survived the persecution and managed to take refuge into the forest. He is looking for Giusta, who he has never met. Eager to become a Christian, he wants to persuade the woman not to abandon his land and continue her mission. Everyone loves her for the miracles the Lord works through her prayers, and only she can convince the people to resist. But try as he may, he can’t find her. While still in the forest, he meets a girl who lives confined in a cave, a kind of healer rejected by all, and that seems to hate Christians… Only she can lead her to Giusta.