Shortly after the turn of the first millennium, the church of Felsenburg burns to the ground, and the bishop embarks on an audacious building project - the construction of a towering Cathedral. Andrew, the bishop's young assistant, gradually realizes that the project is more a monument to greed and oppression than it is to the glory of God.

Outside the official church is a small band of believers, branded as heretics by the bishop and in danger of death. Gradually drawn into their loving community, Andrew wrestles with the implications of his growing love for Cecilia, as he grows in his understanding of God's word. Andrew's faith and courage are tested by the ultimate choice between life or death in the shadow of the rising Cathedral.