In a fictional, unnamed, supposed Latin American state, religion has been outlawed. A priest, hiding in what was his church, encounters a young Indian woman, their encounter which leads to the priest believing that he has to continue in his calling. The state police are aware of his existence, and unlike many other priests, they have a photograph of him, albeit an outdated one. A specific police lieutenant seems more determined than others to capture the priest and bring him to "trial". Knowing that villagers are hiding the priest, the lieutenant comes up with a plan to take local villagers hostage one by one and to kill the hostages one at a time unless the villagers give up the priest, the lieutenant needing to convince them that the priest is nothing but an anarchist who would give himself up if he really had the faith. The priest has to evade the police, which becomes increasingly difficult as he needs to acquire things to ply his trade, some which are also outlawed, and there are unknown forces that are solely out for their own benefit, which may entail giving up an outlaw priest. Through it all, the priest does not question religion, but questions his own fitness as a priest.
—Huggo