Original subtitles

Spain is becoming the richest country in the world.

They've conquered the New World through the help of God.

They've slaughtered the Incas and converted the survivors by force.

Viceroy de Toledo knows how to deal with them.

- He's enslaved those people. - But he gave them a job.

They work like animals in Spanish gold and silver mines.

Dear Carafa, I hope you're not blaming our Lord for making those lands poor of crops,

yet rich of precious minerals.

I'm not trying to blame our Lord in the slightest, more like...

More like the conduct of the Church. I know.

(LATIN PRAYER)

It only takes our signature to allow someone to access part of those riches.

And such privilege gets the Church quite valuable friendships.

I agree on the privilege part.

But I don't agree on the name on the contract.

- He's a fraud. - But very devoted to the Church.

His name was suggested by the mother superior of the Sant'Arcangelo Convent.

As per tradition, the mother superior of that convent...

can designate the person we'll grant that wealth to.

The current mother superior of the convent is dying.

Ah. No point in signing anything, then.

We'll try to grant the new mother superior's wish.

(LATIN PRAYER)

The Devil!

De profundis clamo ad te, Domine.

Domine, audi vocem meam.

Until the new mother superior is officially appointed, I will be in charge here.

As I'm the oldest sister.

Domine, audi vocem meam.

Mother Giulia, go and ring the bell to warn the others.

Mother Chiara, go close all the doors.

I will summon all the postulants here.

Our Order prescribes that only them can drag the body to the church.

I'm sure you'll be the new mother superior, Giulia.

Ecce crucem Domini, fugite partes adversae.

Immundus spiritus omnis satanica potestas.

Omnis incursio infernalis adversarii.

In nomine Domini Nostri.

- Come help me, Agnese. - Mother Giulia!

Mother Lavinia. Could you lend me Agnese for a few minutes?

Go with her, Agnese.

The door...

- Afraid? - Not when I'm with you, Mother Giulia.

You'll be a novice soon, Agnese.

I promise I will watch over you and spare you the more burdensome tasks.

Even when my niece will join us.

- When will she arrive, Mother? - Soon.

- What's her name? - Isabella.

Don't worry, you'll always be my favourite.

You seem glad for our mother superior's death.

Once the soul has left the body, the latter ceases to have any value.

Our souls are the only thing that determine our existence.

- But it's an almost joyful ring. - It's only the wind.

Someone is ringing the bell.

Maybe we've been discovered.

The mother superior must have died.

This is the opportunity I've been waiting for.

The opportunity to do what? Become the new mother superior?

Exactly.

- I'll have the keys of the convent. - Oh, it sounds intriguing.

Naturally. You'll be very useful to me.

I'll show this document to the archbishop.

It's a notarised document, as you can see.

I don't doubt it.

You must forgive me, Your Excellency,

but I hope you understand the urgency.

That woman can't wait to...

Well, you know.

She can't wait to become the new mother superior, I know.

It's clear there's no doubts concerning Mother Carmela's vocation.

That's up to the archbishop to judge.

Mother Carmela's family asked me to tell you, Your Excellency,

that they'll be happy to give you a token of their gratitude.

I would naturally tell them how efficient and helpful you've been.

And tell them Carafa is different from the others.

Well, it's an old custom, Your Excellency.

I'm not a Spaniard.

I don't share the same blood with our masters.

This is from the Sant'Arcangelo Convent.

There's another one, too. A plea.

Mother Lavinia's family is willing to increase their donation.

They're doubling her dowry.

Mother Lavinia has an advantage over the others, she's the eldest.

But some parts of her life are shrouded in mystery.

- During her youth... - Water under the bridge, and she was acquitted.

The Church needs more financial resources.

That means accepting women with no vocation at all into convents?

Parents pay for their daughters to be accepted into convents...

when they refuse to end into an arranged marriage.

Or to allow their first-born to inherit their entire estate.

Or sometimes even to seize more power into their hands.

We cannot change how society works.

Any donation We receive is always well-accepted.

Mother Giulia!

Mother Lavinia, Mother Giulia's niece has arrived.

- Isabella! - Aunt Giulia.

My dear...

You must call me Mother Giulia.

Welcome to the Sant'Arcangelo Convent.

Always a pleasure to see you, Mother Giulia.

Isabella has been giving us a lot of trouble with her romantic whims.

Convincing her to come here wasn't an easy task.

What about the boy?

Fernando has been sent far away.

Any important news?

Don Carlos Ribera will soon meet the archbishop to tell him about...

the donation he will do in your name.

- He added he will come visit you soon. - Good.

I'm keeping an eye on the situation.

Sister Carmela and Sister Lavinia have put forward their candidature.

Your adversaries are worth their salt.

I know.

Isabella!

Mother Giulia.

I can't personally inspect my niece. It wouldn't be right.

Mother Carmela.

Sit down.

Don't be afraid.

No...

Go on.

No...

Lord, help me...

Lord, help me...

Help me...

Lord, help me...

Forgiveness!

Forgiveness...

Forgiveness...

I'm humbly asking you, Your Eminence.

I've asked to have my vows revoked.

She had made a formal application to the Holy See.

I'm still waiting for an answer! I still am!

We all know how terrible such a request is.

Why do you want to leave your life of seclusion?

My health, I'm very ill!

Your Eminence...

What is your illness, Sister?

You look the picture of health to me.

She suffers from bad nerves.

It's a women's disease.

You're Sister Chiara, correct?

Yes, Your Eminence.

The Holy See forwarded me your request.

I've been asked to evaluate it.

I've decided to deny your request.

Sister Chiara needs some distractions.

- Learning embroidery will do her good. - Yes, Your Eminence. It shall be done.

Surge qui dormis.

Accipe anulum...

Accipe anulum...

Accipe...

Mother Chiara?

Mother Lavinia said she Won't let you out of here...

if you don't finish your embroidery work first.

It's almost done.

I haven't slept for two nights to do it.

Please, accept it. For the good of us all.

The people at the archdiocese must not know that I'm sick!

You'd rather not see the doctor, then?

You know we're only allowed to see a doctor in extreme cases,

and only with the bishop's permission.

I'm so glad to have you taking care of me, Mother Giulia.

I've brought you some medicine.

I'm sure it will make you feel better.

I have more than enough. I've suffered from your same ailments, Mother Lavinia.

I'm grateful for your forgiveness, Mother Lavinia.

Don't forget to thank Mother Giulia.

She'll appreciate it.

- Thank you. - I'm glad you've finished your embroidery work.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Do you like them?

- Of course. - They're for you.

Thanks.

I'll take them to the altar.

Giulia, you...

Me what?

You wield enormous power, even upon Mother Lavinia.

What do you mean?

You frighten me. You've stopped caring for rne, we never talk anymore.

We haven't been alone together for a long time.

I'll take them to the altar.

Isabella.

I hope it's not something forbidden.

Our gatekeeper gave it to me.

She said I'm above suspicion.

- You should be proud of that. - I'm not. Pride is a cardinal sin.

- Is it good news? - Marvellous news! He's near.

Who is he?

Fernando.

I hope I'll be able to see him soon.

- How? - There's a way. He said so himself.

- Do you love him? - More than anything.

Does Mother Giulia, your aunt, know about this love of yours?

She always knows everything.

Maybe she's the one who tore us apart.

Talking with you about love feels strange.

Why? Love is the most beautiful thing of all.

You're thinking of a different kind of love.

Yes, but maybe that's why I can understand you even more.

- Will you keep my secret? - I will.

So much time has passed. Endless.

Five months and twelve days. Do you remember the last time we saw each other?

I've remembered it millions and millions of times.

Even in my dreams.

But something always seemed to separate us.

You disappeared and I couldn't see you anymore.

I was never able to dream of you, who knows why.

Maybe because I constantly imagine you by my side when I'm awake, talking to me.

Because I'm always saying how much I love you, even if I'm alone.

That I do, too. All the time.

I love you.

Let's move a little further, we'll be able to get closer.

Speak, let's not waste this time with silence.

- How was your voyage? - Perilous.

- Did your parents send you far away? - Very.

But where? It was horrible not knowing where you were.

I didn't know where you were either. How painful it was.

- Then you discovered my whereabouts. - Yes.

How did you manage to leave?

I wrote to my parents and told them I was ready to meet her.

- Who? - The girl they want me to marry.

- And did you meet her? - No.

- I'm supposed to meet her the day before the wedding. - She must be so ugly, then!

Let's move over there.

- Have you taken the vows already? - I'm a novice.

I can still be released, though. I've written to some family friends but...

Well, nobody's answered.

Our love will sustain us.

Our great love.

It is, my love. Life is meaningless without you.

Stop stealing my very thoughts, my beloved.

In my fingers I'm giving you all of myself.

I've never touched anything more beautiful.

Swear that you'll always be only mine.

- I swear. - And I swear the same.

- On what? - On the Almighty Lord.

But you've taken another oath when you took your vows...

I will keep on praying the Lord, because God is love.

You must go now.

- Goodbye, my love. - No, not goodbye.

'Til we'll meet again.

Mother Lavinia welcomes you, Don Carlos.

She's too ill to leave her cell, unfortunately.

Did she spend too much time with the bottle, perhaps?

She is getting worse and worse every day.

Well, let's try not to send her to Heaven too soon.

I'm afraid she's too ill to be appointed mother superior.

- Good news, I presume? - Thank you.

I must also thank you for the recent gifts.

Especially the liqueur and the medicines.

What about Isabella? How is she faring?

My niece is faring well.

Has she been checked yet?

- Of course. - ls it all in order?

As exactly as when she was born.

We've managed to save her from that little crook just in time.

Don Carlos...

- Has the donation been accepted? - Yes, don't worry.

The Church would never say no to a chance to increase their wealth.

It's only a matter of time for your appointment.

Are you sure that Isabella is still a virgin?

I want you to send her to me as soon as you'll be appointed mother superior.

Do you understand me, Mother Giulia?

I'm moving to my castle at Baiano. I will wait for her there.

It's not too far from here.

I'm sure you won't disappoint me.

- We've never talked about this before. - Indeed.

Well, we're talking now, Mother Giulia.

I thought you were only siding with rne to get more privileges.

Clearing the way to make you become the new mother superior hasn't been easy.

There has been a lot of pressure from other convents.

I haven't told you before, but I've spent much more than expected.

It's too late to turn back now.

It would destroy your family.

You've been very clear, Don Carlos.

Mother Carmela also has some friends in the high places.

What do you know about that woman?

More than enough to get rid of her.

What a scandal!

Don't go alone.

- Sound the alarm. - At once, Mother Lavinia.

Wake up!

Wake up!

- What's happening? - What is it?

Where is Mother Carmela?

- I have the authorisation of Mother Lavinia. - This is an abuse!

Yes, it's true.

I wanted to run away.

I beg you, I need some more of your medicine.

I'm sorry, but I don't have any.

It's better if you don't take it anymore. We don't know the nature of your illness.

I'm starting to believe it might be contagious.

In the interest of the convent, I will have you moved to the isolation cell.

You will get all the assistance you need there.

Both material and spiritual.

I want this cell to be scrubbed clean at once.

Put my family coat-of-arms on this wall.

I have a mission for you, Isabella.

I want you to bring a message to the castle at Baiano.

- Do you know where it is? - Of course, Aunt Giulia.

I mean, of course, Mother Superior.

Very well. You can go on your own, then.

- When do you want me to go? - Tomorrow.

'Til tomorrow.

'Til tomorrow.

Welcome back, Your Excellency.

It was a pointless journey.

Always the same bunch of people.

That's the usual anonymous letter from the Sant'Arcangelo Convent.

Has the new mother superior been elected?

It's Mother Giulia of the dukes of Mondragone.

- His Eminence is here? - Yes, Your Excellency.

I need all the records of the Sant'Arcangelo Convent.

Abodes of sin.

Instead of being homes to virgins devoted to God, all those convents...

infected by the plague of immorality are nothing but common brothels.

It was Cardinal Contarini who wrote these exact words, back in 14oo.

But we're living in 1577.

- Things are changing. - Not for the worse, I pray.

Take the Sant'Arcangelo Convent, for instance.

Anonymous letters are not to be trusted.

Of course not. But one can investigate upon their claims.

The new mother superior will restore order. She has character.

Too much, perhaps.

That's how she got elected, as a matter of fact.

Religious orders have turned into centres of power and dispotism.

We are forgetting our Christian deeds.

The Church must hold onto its power to avoid being overthrown.

Jesus and his disciples would be considered nothing but beggars.

Yet, the power they held was immense.

Despite living in a cruel world,

they preached it was right to love thy neighbour.

They spread the truth.

And the Church has been organised to protect that truth.

We wouldn't be here otherwise, Carafa, mark my words.

But, as long as We are, you listen to mine.

I'm not asking for the Church to return to its original poverty.

What I'm asking for is to avoid awful speculations in its name.

The privileges accorded to honour...

the new mother superiors have always given way to shady intrigues.

The properties of the Sant'Arcangelo Convent have been vastly extended,

if that's what you're alluding to.

All thanks to Don Carlos Ribera, as a matter of fact.

All in exchange of part of the wealth in the territories of the New World.

- He's a ruthless man. - He's a Grandee of Spain.

All the same.

I'll give you the chance to see for yourself...

that all is in order at the Sant'Arcangelo Convent.

I'm asking permission to make an unannounced inspection.

Permission granted.

You'll give it personally to Don Carlos Ribera.

It's a very important message, Isabella. I'm counting on you.

Rest assured, Mother Superior.

Be careful, Isabella!

Isabella...

The relics of Saint Damiano.

He must have been a giant. I swear that every convent has a little of him.

Humble people need this sort of comfort.

Open your cell for inspection.

You're abusing your authority.

I've been tasked by His Eminence, the archbishop,

whom I'm honoured to serve as a vicar.

- Have you got a formal permit, Your Excellency? - Of course, Mother Giulia.

You should offer to God the objects of your earthly vanity.

I cannot renounce my family.

You chose the family of Christ the moment you pronounced your vows.

What are those?

Medicines.

There's a passage door.

It leads to the isolation cell.

For our sick sisters.

- Is there one now? - Yes.

She's contagious.

I'm not afraid. I've survived the Black Death.

- This is inhuman. - I know. But it's our rule.

Unfortunately.

- These are the punishment cells. - I can see that.

Mother Carmela. She attempted to run away.

I've sent a full report to the archbishop.

I've read it.

Put her back in her cell upstairs.

What is this?

A souvenir?

A memory of a clandestine meeting?

I've already seen this handwriting.

They're Mother Chiara's personal meditations.

- I don't think that... - I believe otherwise!

Leave.

Leave! Leave, I said!

No one must be allowed in or out of the convent.

No exceptions.

Let's go, it's getting late.

- Where? - To the castle at Baiano.

- Why should we care about that? - I do.

All right.

You naughty youngsters! Get out of my sight!

You should be ashamed of yourselves! Get out of my sight!

Get lost!

Two boys fornicating with each other! Such an awful sight!

Get lost!

There's enough evidence to set up a trial.

Those nuns belong to very powerful families.

They'll complain to the viceroy, maybe even the King of Spain.

You must act at once, Your Eminence.

- Proceed with the trial. - And hold it there?

You have the power to, Your Eminence. It's a cloistered nunnery.

- What sort of trial will it be? - Inquisitorial, Your Eminence.

You must eradicate this evil from the Church.

I believe His Holiness, Pope Gregory XIII, will appreciate your duty.

But I'll be exposed to their vengeance.

I'll personally assume the entire responsibility.

Liar! Depraved liar!

You stupid ingrate!

Writing anonymous letters! We'll all suffer for what you did!

I know what you did to Mother Lavinia!

Using that liqueur of yours!

You don't know anything!

Keep hitting me! Don't stop!

Keep hurting me!

It was about time you showed interest in rne again!

You didn't deserve the way I made you suffer.

Do you feel sorry for me?

My love for you hasn't changed.

How I'd like to be sure of that.

Nothing's changed.

- Except... - Except what?

Except my new position.

I wish I were dead sometimes.

You must never say that.

You're with me now.

Talking about your love for me.

I know you're only doing it because you need my silence.

Do you really believe I don't understand that?

You're wrong.

But I've got no choice. I must content myself with this.

These wounds...

It's my fault you have them...

- In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, amen. - Amen.

Invoking the name of the Lord,

we, Alfonso Carafa, vicar of His Eminency the archbishop of Naples,

and in the name of God and the Roman Catholic Apostolic Church,

open this inquisitorial trial against...

the nuns of the Sant'Arcangelo Convent at Baiano.

Why, thank you so much.

You cannot imagine how glad I am to read this message from Mother Giulia.

I'll send her my devoted congratulations for her appointment.

Isabella...

Giving the message to her lovely niece was such a marvellous idea.

- I wanted to talk to you, Don Carlos. - Likewise.

Don't run, Isabella.

I wanted to have a talk with you for a very long time.

I knew your identity right away.

Even dressed like this.

You can hide certain things only to some extent.

No! No!

Let me go!

- Let me go! No! - I love girls when they make it hard.

- No! Let me go! - You're a girl who knows what seduction means!

- Feel free to struggle, I like it even more. - No! No!

- Leave me alone! Stop! - Much, much more!

No!

We must get out of here, quick! Quick!

The horses.

Go after them.

But don't capture them straightaway.

He must not capture you.

No!

No!

No!

No...

No!

Don't you dare hurt him! I know everything!

I know what my aunt did to become mother superior, in full detail!

And also what she did to get you those riches from the New World!

Let go of her.

And I know what Mother Giulia is doing inside the convent walls!

All those donations and political intrigues!

The medicines!

- What your men did to Mother Carmela's visitor! - Shut up!

Your imagination is too vivid.

Kill me if you wish, I've thought of that too!

If you do it, it will be the end of you!

- You're diabolically cunning. - So are you, Don Carlos!

Why did you spy on what was happening in the convent?

I want to be released from my vows.

I wanted to ask your help in exchange for my silence.

You didn't give me the time, though.

Long story short, you don't fancy living in a convent.

I can't blame you.

But I'm going to take you back immediately.

I will tell you what to do and what to say, in your own interest.

In the interest of both of you.

Let's say in the interest of the three of us.

- Was it this? - Yes, I believe so.

You must be precise. Was it this or not?

I'm too sick to remember clearly.

What about you, Mother Giulia?

Do you recognise it?

Yes.

Then you knew what its contents were.

Medicine.

You have examined it. Tell His Eminence about its contents.

Poison.

Lethal?

That depends on the dose.

It was a medicine.

Does that poison also possess curative properties?

Yes, it does.

How did you happen to have that medicine?

I brought it with me when I entered the convent.

I've had it for years.

I've always found it quite effective.

I've had her same ailments in the past.

You can ask Mother Lavinia.

It's true.

This letter states you knew how deadly that medicine could be.

It's an anonymous letter.

But the person who wrote it is among us.

You wrote it!

Is that my handwriting?

What is your opinion?

It does not look the same.

I believe those letters have been written by the same person, using the left hand.

Are you absolutely sure?

Not without doubts.

I've read your diary.

I've read it with great interest and attention.

Those were my intimate confessions.

The style of the letters and the diary is the same.

The same phrases.

In your, let's say, intimate confessions,

you mentioned this so called medicine Mother Giulia gave to Mother Lavinia.

Only to emphasise Mother Giulia's gesture.

What sort of gesture?

Her good deed.

Another anonymous letter.

But this one is different from the rest.

It is, without a doubt, the most important of them all.

An outsider knew in full what was happening inside these walls.

This person knew about the man who secretly visited one of the nuns.

This outsider even knew about the spot where Mother Carmela's lover was buried.

Her lover Pietro Lanciani!

Who has murdered him?

One of your relatives, after finding out about your conduct?

Or perhaps a rival?

How many lovers do you have?

Answer the question!

- We have the means to make you talk! - Proceed with them.

Apply those means.

Mine was just a threat.

And mine's an order.

Enough. Remove the weights.

Yes. I confess.

I've received Pietro Lanciani.

Many times, in my cell.

Did you copulate with him?

Keep asking her!

I feel sorry for you. Speak.

Did you copulate with Pietro Lanciani? Answer, yes or no!

Yes.

How long has this infamy been going on?

It wasn't an infamy.

I've asked you how long it was going on!

Always...

Yet, despite being unworthy, you also tried to become the new mother superior.

You surely wanted to abuse the authority of such a rank...

to continue with your horrible affair.

Take her down.

No!

Stop that torture, please!

Mother Chiara has already suffered enough!

Mother Giulia, did you and Mother Chiara share an abnormal relationship?

Let her speak!

In the name of God.

Tell the truth. Confess.

We want nothing but the truth.

Stop, I can't take it anymore! I'll talk! It was me who poisoned Mother Lavinia!

No. Agnese is a novice and should not even be here.

Allow her to leave before I go on with the interrogation.

It wasn't easy.

I had to implore the archbishop.

You'll only have the endure the inquisitorial trial as a penitent.

Don't worry, though.

It will just be an unpleasant formality.

Everything will be all right.

We'll have to go even further to get to the bottom of this.

Question people in high places.

No nun is guilty of murder, my dear Carafa.

Mother Lavinia is still alive for now.

A sentence to hard labour will fit the culprits well.

Being mother superior, a death sentence will be prescribed for Mother Giulia.

Mother Giulia was unworthy of her new position.

Hence, she will be sentenced as if she had never beeen appointed.

Then that donation will become not valid.

It will remain valid.

Regardless of what might have happened.

Then I guess the privileges We have accorded to Don Carlos Ribera,

concerning the gold and silver mines in the New World, will remain valid.

The problem reduces itself to this matter, to put it simply.

If Mother Giulia is considered mother superior, she will be sentenced to death.

And the Church will keep the donation.

And Don Carlos will keep the privileges.

But if we revoke her appointment,

and assume that Mother Giulia has acted in a simple nun's capacity,

she will be sentenced to prison. For life, possibly.

She'll avoid the death penalty.

But the Church would lose that conspicuous donation.

And Don Carlos would lose his privileges.

It was your call to proceed with this tragic trial, Carafa.

Now that you've consulted the inquisitorial Council,

it's up to you to issue a verdict.

In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

We, in the name of God and His Holiness,

Archbishop of the glorious Archdiocese of the Kingdom of Naples,

at the conclusion of this inquisitorial trial held here,

in the Sant'Arcangelo Convent at Baiano,

decree as follows in the name of God, the Holy See and Roman Apostolic Church:

Mother Carmela, of the princes of Costante,

is sentenced to life imprisonment.

Mother Chiara, of the barons of Arcamone,

is sentenced to twenty years of imprisonment.

Under solitary confinement.

Novice Isabella, Countess of Mondragone,

is sentenced to the revocation of her vows.

All of her riches, previously donated to the Sant'Arcangelo Convent as her dowry,

will be transferred to the Archdiocese of Naples.

In the name of God, and in all conscience,

we judge Mother Giulia, of the dukes of Mondragone, guilty of criminal conduct.

We also decree that her appointment as new mother superior is to be considered valid.

Hence, under the application of the application of the Canon Law,

We hereby sentence Mother Giulia to the capital penalty.

Furthermore, we decree said sentence to be carried out immediately.

By drinking hemlock.

The remaining nuns will be transferred to other convents,

Where, through prayer and isolation,

they'll dispel the doubts that caused their faith to falter.

You're judging me for corruption and cruelty.

Am I more corrupted or cruel than you lot, though?

Yes, I was in a sinful relationship.

Yes, I've grabbed the only chance at affection I had.

And I'm also accused of desiring power.

What's the difference between you and me, then?

I was forced into this convent.

This place where the only security is power!

You're being blasphemous! That's insanity!

No!

I'm finally telling the truth, for the first time in my life!

The law of the Church is inhuman!

And it made me inhuman, too! Like all of you!

Now I know I have a soul.

And, at last, I'm finally free.

I'm ready.

Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

May the Lord forgive us, for all the pain we have inflicted in the Church's name.

Forgive those who have offended you, Lord.

Forgive our sins, Lord.

Subtitled by Francesco Massaccesi