I am Obersturmfuhrer Rolf Kessel from the SS.
And this is one of my men.
We found him in a ditch with a kitchen knife in his back.
Murdered by one of you.
You see the German army retreating, and it makes you feel hope.
It should not.
So who is responsible for this?
You, priest.
What's your name? I'm Father Merrin.
Father Merrin. These people confess to you?
Yes. So point out the one who is responsible.
No one here did this, lieutenant.
They aren't capable of it.
Father, you must help me with this.
Oh, but how? Well, I need someone.
Do you understand?
Surely there is one among them who beats his wife or his children.
A thief, perhaps.
Every town has someone it can do without. Point him out.
There is no murderer here.
I have good news for you.
You are all innocent. Your priest has told me so.
The murderer is no doubt lurking in the countryside...
...waiting to strike at the next group of German soldiers.
I am going to shoot 10 of you...
...in the hope that we can demonstrate to this wretch...
...the responsibility he has incurred.
A worker's hand. Farmer.
Excellent. No!
We will start with you. Stop!
You have some objection, Father? In God's name, you cannot do this.
You choose.
What? Well, they're your flock.
You live among them. So you choose.
I will not.
You give me 10 of them, or I will kill them all.
Men, women and children.
Shoot me. You have five seconds.
I can't. You can't what?
Pick who will be sacrificed?
History is full of priests who did little else.
You begin to irritate me, Father.
That was for making me wait.
I still want 10 more names.
What are you doing, Father? Are you praying?
To God?
It's all right, Father. I'll let you pray.
Because I know something.
You see...
...God isn't here today.
You win.
Shoot them all. No! Wait!
Joost Harmensz, take him.
Too late, Father. You had your chance. No, please.
Take Joost. And Jon.
That's good.
And who shall be next?
That's him.
He's Dutch, you say?
Half. His mother was English.
Perhaps he'll be a bit more inclined to see reason then.
I wouldn't be concerned about reason, major.
He's a scholar.
We studied his works at the Maryknoll Center.
Oh, yes.
You Maryknolls.
Cropping up everywhere these days.
It's a wonder the Jesuits don't get after you for poaching their game.
We all serve in the same cause, Major Granville.
He's not one of yours? No.
A simple parish priest from Holland.
When did he develop this archaeological bent?
Right after the war.
There was an incident. Yes.
Yes, I heard.
And his standing in the Church now?
Undecided.
The site is right west of Lake Rudolf, in the Turkana district.
It's Early Christian, which makes for quite a mystery given its location.
Anyway...
...we won't know more about it until we get inside the thing.
I'd only uncovered a small portion of the roof before I got...
...summoned here.
Did you feel summoned?
I am sorry.
It's a question of status, you see.
My status?
Officially, you're still listed as a displaced person.
I wonder...
...why didn't you take steps...
...to clear the matter up?
I've been busy.
Beautiful, aren't they?
Yes, very.
Are you a lepidopterist? A hobby.
From school days.
You have been busy.
Six archaeological digs since the war.
This is the longest.
If this is an official matter...
...then what is he doing here? Father Francis?
Well, for one thing, he's quite an admirer of yours.
I'm about to begin missionary work in the Turkana district.
I thought maybe we could help each other.
You know a lot about the people. I'd rather not. Thank you.
This is a little awkward.
Cardinal Jenkins is somewhat concerned...
...about an exploration of this significance...
...conducted by a priest who is on sabbatical.
Temporary sabbatical. Which comes up for review shortly.
Perhaps I should take this up with the governor's office.
They'd only send you back to me.
Why don't you have a seat, Merrin.
You sure you won't have that drink?
The cardinal wants to be sure that the site's religious aspects...
...are given proper consideration.
Part of Father Francis' job...
...will be to see to that. Are you an archaeologist?
You're not the sole person with an interest here.
I've contacted your sponsors at Oxford. They have no objection.
If you agree as well, I can renew your visa immediately.
We all must make our little deals with the devil, Merrin.
Before there were the mines, traders came to Derati for the water.
They still do...
...but it is a hard life.
Why in God's name are they tormenting that animal?
It is a sacrifice.
The new wife of the chief elder...
...Sebituana, will soon give birth.
Sebituana does not yet have an heir.
So the people make sacrifices...
...in the hope that the gods will provide one.
It is a necessary thing.
Cruelty is never necessary, Chuma.
You think we are savages?
I think some of you are good people...
...lost in confusion.
There's nothing confusing about that ceremony, Father.
They're weakening the bull so that someone can approach it.
And as for some of the Turkana being savages, you may want to be careful.
Sebituana back there is Chuma's cousin.
Welcome back.
Did you bring the supplies? Yes. They're in the back of the lorry.
Chuma, could you get Rachel's medical supplies?
Here's a letter for you.
How was Nairobi?
Hello. Are you the doctor?
Habari Kani, Lankester.
It's good to have you back.
Oh, thank you. Your room is prepared.
We'll need another room, Emekwi. This is Father Francis.
You're a friend of Lankester's, Father? Oh, hello. I hope so.
I've actually come to open a missionary school.
This is your hotel? The finest establishment in Derati.
Emekwi here, he's a Christian. Maybe he can help you.
In any way I can.
James, Joseph. These are my sons, Father.
They shall be your first pupils, if you will have them.
That's excellent, Emekwi. Thank you.
Well, then, how far are we from the site?
Merrin.
How old do you think it is?
Well, the architecture seems to date to the fifth century.
The Byzantine Empire had adopted Christianity by then...
...but they never got this far south.
Wanna have a look?
You're? You're sure it's all right?
Well, so long as you don't touch anything...
...and keep an open mind.
It must have been an enormous effort to get these materials up here.
Up here?
Yes. The stones come from a quarry near the lake.
Which means a distance...
...of miles.
It's impossible.
The stones look almost new.
With the wind and sun up here...
Well, they should be badly weathered.
The church must have been deliberately buried right after it was built.
What, they came here and built something only to bury it?
I don't know. Chuma, hire some more men.
Have them work double shifts. I want these walls cleared.
I can't understand it. Who'd reported it?
Except for this.
I cannot thank you enough for your generosity, Emekwi.
Oh, please, Father, the building goes unused.
And besides, it is nothing more than our Lord and Savior would expect.
If you need anything, anything at all, just ask.
I wish others of our faith felt that way.
Oh, but, of course, the town will get the room back soon, since...
Since we have to build a proper school. Oh, please, Father.
Do not think me a doubting Thomas.
But...
...we may not need that new school right away.
Hello, Papa.
Hello, Joseph.
Hello, Papa. Hello, James.
Well...
...it's a beginning.
Call for the doctor.
It is the heat.
Pick him up. Let's take him down. I'll get some water.
Don't let him take it all at once.
Our friend is back.
Cheche.
Come for food and water again.
It must be even worse for him in this heat.
I'll try to get him into the tent.
Do not let the men see that
Don't be afraid.
You got here quickly. Your man made it sound urgent.
Well, is it?
Chuma, try to make him comfortable in the back of my truck.
He needs rest and rehydration.
Heat stroke.
You're working them too hard. There's water in the tent if you'd like...
I would. Thank you.
We had another visit from that boy today.
Cheche? Yes.
Any luck?
Couldn't even get close.
I had to sedate him two weeks ago.
Just to treat a beating he took from a villager.
Why don't they help him?
They think he's cursed.
What he needs is sustained treatment.
Yes?
Nothing.
Early this year.
Two of the cattle have been killed already.
Thank you, Chuma.
I must keep you safe for the lady doctor.
Cheche.
The sores were very infected.
I've cleaned and dressed them. There's no permanent damage.
The leg and arm are a different matter.
Night, Mara.
There's nothing you can do?
Not for the arm.
The leg...
The leg could be theoretical Theoret
Theoret... "Theoretically."
Theoretically, the leg could be rebroken...
...and set properly by a surgeon from Nairobi.
They fly from...
Do you think he'd allow it?
It was called Chelmno.
That was the Polish name. The Germans called it Kulmhof.
I was in a processing center for confiscated items.
It's amazing what you're capable of when your physical survival is at stake.
Things you think you could never endure.
Well, nobody knew back then. Everybody... We heard stories.
I wish they could fix that generator.
No one wanted to believe.
Of course not.
Who could believe such things were happening?
No one wanted to believe.
It's so much easier to believe evil is random...
...or an ogre...
...not that it's a human condition, something everyone is capable of.
I believed God let us decide between good and evil.
I chose good.
Evil happened.
Now you travel.
What are you looking for?
Nothing.
Sometimes I think the best view of God is from hell.
This boy here...
You brought something out of that young man.
God is in that boy that doesn't speak.
Until he tried to speak to you.
He's an unfortunate.
One of God's afflicted.
I think what you're looking for, Father Merrin...
...is here.
You have been very brave, Cheche.
You're on the mend.
There.
Better, eh?
Better.
Yes. Better.
Merrin was right about you, Cheche.
I thought you'd run away.
Cheche...
...if Appa and I...
If we could make your leg better
Better.
Would you want that?
We'll have a great deal of news for Appa, won't we?
Merrin, it's magnificent.
Wait till you get inside.
The war in heaven.
St. Michael.
It's so strange.
Churches were built to honor God...
...provide a house of worship, but this...
This can't have been a meeting place.
No.
This had to have another purpose.
Merrin.
Look at the figures.
Yes.
Church architecture is supposed to reach for the heavens.
But this looks as if As if it were holding something down.
These rocks.
These rocks are like plugs.
What is that?
Like a sarcophagus.
What?
You hear that? Yes.
Chuma.
Bring me some men and the shear legs.
What is it?
What are you frightened of?
It's a temple of some kind.
What idol could inspire a place like this?
I'd say it's dedicated to him.
Some pagan god of these parts.
Chuma?
The old people would sometimes tell stories...
...of mountain demons to scare us, but...
They built the church on top of this.
That's why they buried it. To hold this down.
They used St. Michael to emphasize...
...that the old gods had no power before the one.
But I never believed.
These are bloodstains.
People were sacrificed here. Yeah.
It's almost like a scene out of the Inquisition, isn't it?
The hyenas must have attacked the cattle.
But the cattle...
...killed them.
Then ate them.
And now they die of it.
He wants you to stop digging.
He thinks the church is evil.
His side of the family...
...either old ways or nothing.
No argument.
Look here.
Look how it was done.
The workers who did this were not just Not just workers. They were artists.
The mosaics came from across the world.
Here. The great battle of the angels.
The turquoise from Egypt, malachite from Namibia...
...lapis from Afghanistan.
Extraordinary.
This is St. Michael. It's his church. It's dedicated to him.
But the violence. It's the war of heaven.
God's angels fighting Satan and his legion...
...cast into the underworld.
It's the sort of find that makes a career.
I thought that at first, but now it seems...
There is he.
Lucifer, source of light.
He was called the most perfect of angels.
It will make you, Lankester.
But what will it make you?
You're trying to see through me.
Are you a head doctor as well?
It doesn't take an expert to see you're suffering.
You're in guilt.
We're all in guilt.
What I told you the other night...
...I never told anyone else.
I told you because of something I saw in you.
Merrin.
I've got to inform Cardinal Jenkins.
I hope you understand that if word gets out about what's in there...
...the danger of violation and looting Which is why we have...
...to inform Major Granville as well.
Ask him to send a detachment of guards.
Because the British have proved so trustworthy.
You haven't seen the British Museum?
Everything was looted from sites like that.
Merrin, please.
You're not the only one involved.
Get on, boys.
All right, come on! Come on! Out, out!
Welcome, major. Welcome to Derati.
Fall in on the left, quickly on the right.
Fall in and stand easy!
Good morning.
Beloved wherever we go. Sir.
Sergeant major, have the men stand to attention.
I have a feeling those good women report to the local aristocracy.
And I don't want to display even a hint of disrespect...
...now or at any other time. Am I clear? Yes, sir.
Respect for the godforsaken fuzzies at all times, sir.
That is precisely the sort of comment
Squad!
Squad, 'tion!
Men standing to attention, sir. Thank you.
Mix it with blood or water. It's for pain.
Sebituana's wife has gone into labor. She's in a great deal of pain.
This is Dr. Lamu. Oh, doctor.
Joseph Lamu. Rachel Lesno.
So good of you to come. Not a problem.
I told them to bring her here, but...
So I've sent some morphine.
What, do you think they count them?
Do you think they count them every night?
Might do. Might do.
You got no more sense than the fuzzies, corporal.
Here.
Respect the stripes, boy.
Oh, "respect the stripes" now, is it?
I tell you, they got thousands of the things.
Just a handful would make us rich for the rest of our lives.
Or get us hung. Yeah?
Well, they can't hang us for having a look, now, can they?
His wounds are healing well.
I hope we do as well with this.
He's young.
His bones are strong.
Jesus Christ!
Hundreds of them.
Every kind of precious stone.
Just a handful is all I need.
All we need, private.
We pool the take. Yeah?
Yeah.
Cover them.
Sorry, sir? They're British soldiers.
I won't have them left like that.
Of course, sir.
Richardson. Avery.
Get some blankets and cover those soldiers.
You will keep me informed about Cheche?
Yes, of course.
Merrin.
What's going on here? What do you mean?
What's going on here?
This whole valley.
Why don't you stay a couple of days.
You hardly had any rest. I'll show you the dig, the church we found.
Who's in charge here?
Military. Major Granville.
Not you? No.
No, not me.
You take care of yourself, Lankester Merrin.
Yes.
Thank you.
Who, Merrin?
Why?
Well, these were on the ground.
They'd been pried out of the mosaics.
Maybe they were trying to stop a robbery.
Got killed by the thieves. Of course.
Bloody savages. No.
There's no reason to suspect the Turkana, major.
What? The style of the killings...
...the positioning of the bodies. He's right.
It's Christian imagery, not pagan.
John the Baptist, head on a platter.
Peter the Apostle crucified A Christian is responsible?
You're both insane.
Merrin.
Chuma, get that man out of here.
Jomo saw what happened, major.
Did he?
And what was it this Jomo saw precisely?
Jomo watches from the hills that lie above this place, and...
And? He says...
He says he saw the two soldiers argue.
One killed the other and then stabbed himself.
What the devil are you saying?
They were stealing jewels. Then some sort of madness overtook them
Be quiet! I won't hear another word!
That is the most...