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During a chaotic and dangerous period in the Balkans, Dorotej (Gojko Santic), a young and handsome monk, is dedicated to helping the ill and ailing with his knowledge of herbal medicine. As he travels around the countryside, he is called to aid a sick abbot, and in the process of curing the curate, he makes an enemy in the next potential abbot of the monastery. Stories of Dorotej's cures have reached the ears of a Serbian feudal chief wounded in battle, who requests him to come and heal his injuries. As the monk spends time in the company of the Serb, he makes the acquaintance of Lady Yelena the noblewoman of the castle and sparks are ignited. Fate may not be pleased, however, when Dorotej leaves his calling after being expelled from the monastery by the "enemy" abbot, now in power there. He returns to seek out Yelena and the two spend some time together, causing one of the lords in the castle to raise his hackles in jealousy and anger -- aimed at the unsuspecting couple. Filmed in actual churches and monasteries from the middle ages, the interior scenes are enhanced by ancient murals and architecture that provide an aesthetically pleasing and realistic backdrop for the action. Most Yugoslavians would have been familiar with this Serbian epic, and this film version is based on a book by Dobrilo Nenadic, who also wrote the screenplay.