The Day of the Lord (2020) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Menéndez was a former Catholic priest who served time in prison after a traumatic incident during an exorcism that led to the death of a boy under his care. This tragic event left him plagued by guilt and haunted by nightmares.

Foreshadowing: Earlier references to his traumatic past and dreams about the boy establish the reason for his imprisonment from the beginning.

• menendez
• prison
• exorcism
• boy death
• priest

Marisa is the mother of the boy who died during Menéndez's exorcism. She visits him regularly without blaming him for her son's demise, providing emotional support and even tidying his home. This suggests she has forgiven him or believes the tragedy was not solely his fault.

Foreshadowing: Menéndez's dreams featuring both the boy and Marisa hint at his complicated emotional connection to this family.

• marisa
• visits
• forgiveness
• support
• boy mother

Initially skeptical of Sebas's claims, Menéndez begins to believe in Raquel's possession after continued interactions with her. The timeline shows a shift in his belief, though the exact triggers are not detailed. His own spiritual crisis and vulnerability likely make him more susceptible to believing in demonic activity.

Foreshadowing: His conversations with the mysterious caller (whom he addresses as God) challenge his faith and may prime him to believe in possession.

• raquel
• possession
• belief
• menendez
• demon

Menéndez and Sebas resorted to torturing Raquel to extract the demon's identity from her. Their methods spiraled into darkness, suggesting desperation and a departure from proper exorcism practices. This reflects the film's theme of blurring lines between faith and violence.

Foreshadowing: Menéndez's wavering faith and the dark nature of his past actions foreshadow his willingness to use extreme measures.

• exorcism
• torture
• raquel
• methods
• darkness

When Sebas collapsed into despair, embraced Raquel, and apologized for their torturous actions, this moment of genuine emotional vulnerability and fatherly love somehow catalyzed the demon's dramatic manifestation. The emotional sincerity appeared to trigger the supernatural event.

Foreshadowing: Sebas's earlier desperation to help his daughter and his willingness to confront the supernatural set up this pivotal moment.

• demon
• manifestation
• sebas
• apology
• emotional

When the demon was forced into physical form, Menéndez discovered it mirrored the entity that had tormented Marisa's son years before. This suggests the same demon that killed the boy had now possessed Raquel, or it deliberately took that familiar form to psychologically torment Menéndez further.

Foreshadowing: Menéndez's recurring dreams about the boy and the parallel between the two possession cases establish this connection.

• demon
• form
• boy
• mirror
• marisa son

Menéndez engaged in phone conversations with a mysterious caller whom he addressed as God, using these calls to process his faith crisis. However, at the end, when he tries to report his victory, the phone is revealed to be disconnected, meaning he was never actually talking to anyone, suggesting these conversations were entirely in his mind.

Foreshadowing: His wavering faith and psychological state make the nature of these calls ambiguous throughout the story.

• phone
• caller
• god
• disconnected
• mental

After the phone is revealed as disconnected, a ghostly nun-like figure glides toward a satisfied Menéndez. This ambiguous ending leaves his fate uncertain, whether the apparition is real, a hallucination, a spiritual reward, or a final manifestation of evil remains open to interpretation.

Foreshadowing: The unresolved nature of his faith and the presence of evil throughout the film set up this unsettling conclusion.

• nun
• ghost
• ending
• ambiguous
• fate

Menéndez is haunted by dreams featuring both the boy who died and his mother Marisa. The text notes he harbors complicated feelings toward her. These dreams represent his guilt over the boy's death, his need for forgiveness, and possibly romantic or emotional attachment given her continued support despite his role in her son's demise.

Foreshadowing: His discomfort and emotional turmoil during her visits hint at the complexity of their relationship.

• marisa
• dreams
• guilt
• feelings
• forgiveness

Using a makeshift cross, Menéndez confronted the physical manifestation of the demon with fierce resolve. This traditional religious symbol, though improvised, proved effective in defeating the evil force, causing it to flee in defeat.

Foreshadowing: The film's exploration of faith and religious symbolism sets up the cross as the ultimate weapon against evil.

• cross
• demon
• defeat
• victory
• religious