This section's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (July 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
The film's premise is that there is another way to heaven than adherence to the practices of the Roman Catholic Church. A secular Sin Eater can remove all taint of sin, no matter how foul, from the soul just before death. The purified soul can then ascend into heaven. The Roman Catholic Church, according to the film, considers this heresy.
Heath Ledger plays an unhappy and disillusioned priest, Alex Bernier, a member of a fictitious religious order The Carolingians which specializes in fighting demons and other hell spawn. Father Dominic, the head of the Carolingians, has died in Rome under suspicious circumstances and Alex leaves the United States to investigate. In Rome, Alex visits the morgue and sees strange markings on Dominic's corpse. After some investigation, he comes across a book that explains the markings as being the sign of a Sin Eater's work. He heads to the Vatican, where an official tells him that Sin Eaters don't exist and that Dominic may not be buried on sacred ground because he had been excommunicated for his beliefs. Alex, moving ever farther from his vocation, defies his superiors and secretly reads a holy service over the body and buries Dominic in the Carolingian cemetery (the service takes place off screen but is referred to later).
Thomas Garrett, another Carolingian (there seem to have only been a total of three including Dominic), arrives in Rome to help investigate Dominic's death.
Early in the film we meet Mara Williams, an artist Alex once exorcised, who has escaped from a mental hospital and come to Alex at his church in the USA because she has a feeling that something terrible is going to happen to him. The police come looking for her, but Alex lies and denies that he's seen her and through this exchange we learn that Mara was in the hospital because she had tried to kill Alex during the exorcism. Mara goes to Rome with Alex after promising that she won't try to kill him again.
Cardinal Driscoll (Peter Weller), who is introduced at the beginning of the film and who is tipped to be the next Pope, arrives in Rome from the USA and gives Alex a special dagger. According to a fragment of parchment Alex and Thomas find among Dominic's books, the dagger is to be plunged into the Sin Eater while reciting a text in Aramaic. Alex and Thomas take these instructions to mean that the dagger and incantation will kill the Sin Eater and they begin hunting for the Sin Eater and the remainder of the parchment instructions.
Thomas leads Alex to a nightclub where they are taken to the underground base of operations of a masked man called Chirac, the 'Black Pope.' The Black Pope owes a favor to Thomas and Alex asks where to find the Sin Eater. The Black Pope then hangs three people and tells Alex to ask his question of the dying men who can see what the living cannot. One of the dying tells Alex a riddle that leads to a rendezvous with the Sin Eater.
On the way out of the Black Pope's headquarters, demons attack and injure Thomas, but Alex saves him and gets him to a hospital.
Alex leaves Thomas in the hospital and meets the Sin Eater, William Eden, at St. Peter's Cathedral who explains that he has been a Sin Eater for centuries, taking over for an earlier Sin Eater (a Carolingian priest) who ate the sins of Eden's brother. Eden is very charismatic and talks with Alex about the priest's desires, and Alex admits he wants Mara. He then goes and presumably tells Mara this, and they make love. Afterward, Alex leaves Mara asleep and goes to Eden, who tells Alex that he is tired and ready to die and asks Alex to take his place. Alex has the dagger with him, but is curious and so doesn't use it to kill Eden. Instead, he assists Eden with a sin eating
This section 's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed . Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise . ( July 2015 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ) The film 's premise is that there is another way to heaven than adherence to the practices of the Roman Catholic Church . A secular Sin Eater can remove all taint of sin , no matter how foul , from the soul just before death . The purified soul can then ascend into heaven . The Roman Catholic Church , according to the film , considers this heresy . Heath Ledger plays an unhappy and disillusioned priest , Alex Bernier , a member of a fictitious religious order The Carolingians which specializes in fighting demons and other hell spawn . Father Dominic , the head of the Carolingians , has died in Rome under suspicious circumstances and Alex leaves the United States to investigate . In Rome , Alex visits the morgue and sees strange markings on Dominic 's corpse . After some investigation , he comes across a book that explains the markings as being the sign of a Sin Eater 's work . He heads to the Vatican , where an official tells him that Sin Eaters do n't exist and that Dominic may not be buried on sacred ground because he had been excommunicated for his beliefs . Alex , moving ever farther from his vocation , defies his superiors and secretly reads a holy service over the body and buries Dominic in the Carolingian cemetery ( the service takes place off screen but is referred to later ) . Thomas Garrett , another Carolingian ( there seem to have only been a total of three including Dominic ) , arrives in Rome to help investigate Dominic 's death . Early in the film we meet Mara Williams , an artist Alex once exorcised , who has escaped from a mental hospital and come to Alex at his church in the USA because she has a feeling that something terrible is going to happen to him . The police come looking for her , but Alex lies and denies that he 's seen her and through this exchange we learn that Mara was in the hospital because she had tried to kill Alex during the exorcism . Mara goes to Rome with Alex after promising that she wo n't try to kill him again . Cardinal Driscoll ( Peter Weller ) , who is introduced at the beginning of the film and who is tipped to be the next Pope , arrives in Rome from the USA and gives Alex a special dagger . According to a fragment of parchment Alex and Thomas find among Dominic 's books , the dagger is to be plunged into the Sin Eater while reciting a text in Aramaic . Alex and Thomas take these instructions to mean that the dagger and incantation will kill the Sin Eater and they begin hunting for the Sin Eater and the remainder of the parchment instructions . Thomas leads Alex to a nightclub where they are taken to the underground base of operations of a masked man called Chirac , the ' Black Pope . ' The Black Pope owes a favor to Thomas and Alex asks where to find the Sin Eater . The Black Pope then hangs three people and tells Alex to ask his question of the dying men who can see what the living can not . One of the dying tells Alex a riddle that leads to a rendezvous with the Sin Eater . On the way out of the Black Pope 's headquarters , demons attack and injure Thomas , but Alex saves him and gets him to a hospital . Alex leaves Thomas in the hospital and meets the Sin Eater , William Eden , at St. Peter 's Cathedral who explains that he has been a Sin Eater for centuries , taking over for an earlier Sin Eater ( a Carolingian priest ) who ate the sins of Eden 's brother . Eden is very charismatic and talks with Alex about the priest 's desires , and Alex admits he wants Mara . He then goes and presumably tells Mara this , and they make love . Afterward , Alex leaves Mara asleep and goes to Eden , who tells Alex that he is tired and ready to die and asks Alex to take his place . Alex has the dagger with him , but is curious and so does n't use it to kill Eden . Instead , he assists Eden with a sin eating
Who wanted Alex to take his place and become the next sin-eater?
Who wanted Alex to take his place and become the next sin - eater ?
william eden
william eden