Maximilian Schell stars as the "flying friar", St. Joseph of Cupertino, in this heartwarming and amazing true story of the humble Franciscan friar who literally rose to sainthood. In the impoverished village of 17th-century Cupertino, Italy, Joseph's peasant mother (Lea Padovani) convinces the reluctant abbot (Harold Goldblatt) to accept her uneducated son into the monastery. With the support of the kindly local bishop (Akim Tamiroff) who sees in him a great deal more than others, and by a series of miraculous incidents, the simple but deeply pious Joseph is ordained a priest. Yet some in the monastery, including the sceptical Don Raspi (Ricardo Montalban), are convinced that it is the devil, not God, who is responsible for Joseph's amazing powers¿and it will take a miracle to change their minds.