A young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, but encounters a darkness that causes her to question her faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.
When a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.—20th Century Studios
Rome, 1971. Amid political turmoil, Margaret, a devout American novitiate, arrives in the Italian capital, eager to take her vows. Instead, she encounters a sinister conspiracy in the heart of the Catholic Church. As her arrival stirs dark forces within the religious community, the concerned Father Brennan warns her of a disturbing secret that threatens her life. However, it's too late; Margaret has already become a pawn in a grand scheme orchestrated by shadowy figures who dream of ushering in the era of the Antichrist. Now, destiny has chosen her to pave the way for the events of The Omen (1976) and the Devil's horrific plan to enslave humankind.—Nick Riganas
Father Brennan presses Father Harris about an occult conspiracy; Harris gives him a photograph of a baby with the name "Scianna" inscribed. Harris is killed when a falling pipe splits his head open.
In Rome, 1971, amid political protests, American novice Margaret Daino arrives at the Vizzardeli Orphanage. She meets Cardinal Lawrence, Father Gabriel, Abbess Silva, Sister Anjelica, and her roommate and fellow novice Luz. Luz invites Margaret to a disco, where they meet two men. Margaret dances with the man named Paolo before blacking out. She awakens the next day with no memory of what happened.
Margaret bonds with the mistreated orphan Carlita, who is plagued by bad visions. Fr. Brennan warns her about Carlita, saying "evil things" will happen. She spots Carlita showing Sr. Anjelica a drawing of a pregnant woman being restrained; moments later, Sr. Anjelica immolates and hangs herself.
Fr. Brennan explains that radicals within the church, desperate to regain power against the rise of secularism, seek to bring about the Antichrist to create fear and drive people back to the Church, with Carlita intended to be his mother. During a field trip, a riot breaks out and Margaret experiences demonic hallucinations. Abbess Silva postpones Margaret's vows and orders her to distance herself from Carlita. She runs into Paolo; horrified, he tells her to "look for the mark" before being struck and killed by an oncoming truck.
In the Abbess's office, Margaret uncovers a hidden, underground chamber and a series of subject files, all labeled "Scianna". They contain photos of disembark babies all with a birthmark in the shape of three sixes, with Carlita as the only survivor. Margaret attempts to flee with Carlita but is intercepted and spots the mark on Carlita's palate before being imprisoned.
Fr. Gabriel frees Margaret; as they examine the files with Fr. Brennan, they discover that another baby had survived. Margaret locates the mark on her own scalp and suddenly remembers that she was forcefully impregnated in a satanic ritual the night she blacked out at the disco. They come to realize that the orphanage leaders have determined that The Devil will need to mate with his own spawn in order to conceive the Antichrist, and Margaret had been brought to Rome as her half-sister Carlita was too young. The group drives off to have the pregnancy aborted, but another car crashes into theirs on the way and Margaret's womb suddenly fills.
She awakens strapped to a hospital bed and is greeted by Cardinal Lawrence, the head of the conspiracy. The Cardinal and the other conspirators watch as she gives birth to two children via Caesarean section, a girl and a boy; the latter is hailed as the Antichrist. Luz and the man who was with Paolo at the disco are revealed to be among the conspirators. Margaret stabs Cardinal Lawrence but cannot bring herself to kill her son. Luz stabs Margaret as the conspirators flee with the boy and set the chamber ablaze to cover their tracks. Carlita saves Margaret and her daughter, and Margaret sees a demonic jackal in the flames. The baby boy is given to American diplomat Robert Thorn to secretly replace the child his wife Katherine has supposedly miscarried.[a]
Years later, Margaret lives in seclusion in the mountains with Carlita and her daughter, now a happy family. Brennan visits and warns that the conspirators will be hunting her, and that her son has been named Damien.
