Miracle in Rome

Miracle in Rome

Year: 1989

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: Spanish

After the sudden death of a modest civil servant’s daughter, her body remains mysteriously intact when exhumed twelve years later. The grieving father gathers the town’s donations and sets out for Rome, hoping the Pope will examine the incorrupt remains and decide whether she might become Colombia’s first saint.

Whimsical
Bittersweet ending
Moderately emotional
Medium intensity
Slow pacing
Simple story

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Miracle in Rome (1989)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Miracle in Rome (1989). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Set in the modern era, the story spans years after Evelia's death, moving from a rural Colombian town to international institutions. Contemporary elements include an embassy, a Vatican curia, and public interest that transcends borders. A total solar eclipse occurs during the Vatican visit, heightening the drama and sense of portent.

Location

Filandia, Rome

Filandia is a small Colombian town on the slopes of the Andes, with quaint streets and a tight-knit community. The local cemetery, parish, and everyday life frame the tragedy and the miracle that follows. The narrative later shifts to Rome, where the Vatican becomes the stage for testing Evelia's apparent sainthood.

🏔️ Andes foothills 🇨🇴 Colombia ⛪ Catholic town

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:05

Main Characters – Miracle in Rome (1989)

Meet the key characters of Miracle in Rome (1989), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Margarito Duarte (Frank Ramírez)

A modest court employee in Filandia whose life centers on his seven-year-old daughter Evelia after his wife leaves. He is quiet, dignified, and relentlessly devoted, choosing to pursue Evelia’s memory and potential sainthood with steadfast perseverance. His moral compass and humility drive the journey to Rome and his resistance to cynical manipulation.

👨‍👧 Family 🙏 Faith 💪 Dignity 🗺️ Journey

Niña Evelia (Amalia Duque García)

Margarito's seven-year-old daughter, whose sudden death shatters the family. Her preserved, warm body years later is interpreted as a miracle, making her the focal point of faith and municipal action. Though physically absent, her presence motivates everyone around Margarito.

👧 Child 🙏 Innocence ✨ Miracle

Antonio (Tenor) (Gerardo Arellano)

A fellow Colombian and aspiring opera singer living with Margarito in Rome, pursuing a soloist career. His talent and charisma propel the plot, as he credits Margarito’s devotion for his own artistic breakthroughs. His performance literally shakes people and contributes to the sense of a miraculous moment.

🎭 Art 🎵 Talent 🧡 Friendship

Obispo de Armenia (Santiago García)

The visiting bishop who is skeptical of the miracle, to protect doctrinal boundaries while mediating the process. He questions Evelia's religious background and pushes for normal church procedures, including burial under orders. He embodies institutional caution in tension with believers' hopes.

⛪ Religion ⚖️ Skepticism 🗂️ Authority

Secretario de Embajada (Lisandro Duque Naranjo)

An embassy secretary who navigates politics to use the case for Colombia’s image on the world stage. He coordinates Margarito's stay and the bureaucratic path, often prioritizing procedure over humanity. His role showcases the intersection of diplomacy, power, and faith.

🧭 Diplomacy 🏛️ Politics 💼 Bureaucracy

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:05

Major Themes – Miracle in Rome (1989)

Explore the central themes of Miracle in Rome (1989), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🙏 Faith & Miracle

Faith drives the community's response to Evelia's apparent preservation and warmth. People interpret the event as a miracle, challenging the bishop's skepticism. The film explores whether divine signs can be validated within institutional processes. The eclipse heightens the moment, underscoring belief and doubt.

👨‍👧 Family & Love

Margarito's devotion to Evelia defines his every choice and grounds the film's emotional core. His patient, dignified persistence contrasts with the bureaucratic pressures around him. His quest to preserve his daughter's memory drives the journey to Rome. Love becomes the moral force that sustains him through hardship.

⚖️ Bureaucracy & Faith

Embassy officials and Vatican clerics push procedural routes that could leverage the miracle for political ends. Margarito faces manipulation from impostors and money-driven schemes. The tension between institutional skepticism and personal belief lies at the heart of the drama. The community's unity challenges cynicism and creates momentum to seek truth.

🎭 Art & Recognition

Antonio, a Colombian tenor, embodies how art can illuminate belief and elevate personal stories. His singing test and the power of his voice suggest a bridge between heaven and earth. The miracle narrative intersects with his career, as public attention reshapes perceptions. Art amplifies the tale, turning private sorrow into a shared spectacle.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:05

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Whimsical miracle stories about grief like Miracle in Rome

Stories where a touch of the miraculous gently illuminates a path through profound human loss.If you appreciated the blend of magical realism and profound loss in Miracle in Rome, you'll find similar films here. These movies explore deep sorrow with a gentle, hopeful touch, where small miracles or whimsical events offer a unique path through grief, much like the journey in this film.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically follow a character grappling with a significant loss, often quietly and patiently. A seemingly impossible or magical event then intersects with their journey, creating a contrast that doesn't erase the pain but provides a new perspective or a bittersweet form of solace. The narratives focus on emotional resonance over plot complexity.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their distinctive tonal balance: a melancholic core of grief is consistently lightened by a whimsical, miraculous element. They share a gentle pace, a focus on emotional authenticity over high drama, and an ending that acknowledges sorrow while allowing for a glimmer of unexpected wonder.

Movies about quiet perseverance like Miracle in Rome

Quiet, determined individuals navigate slow-moving systems in pursuit of a deeply personal goal.For viewers who admired the father's dignified struggle against the Vatican's bureaucracy in Miracle in Rome, this section highlights similar films. Discover stories about patient individuals facing immense systemic obstacles, where the journey itself—marked by quiet hope and devotion—is as important as the outcome.

perseverancehopefulmelancholicquietbureaucraticdevotionalpatientdignified

Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a protagonist with a simple, deeply personal objective that brings them into conflict with a large, complex, and often indifferent system. The plot unfolds slowly, focusing on the protagonist's resilience, the small hurdles they overcome, and the emotional weight of their unwavering commitment, rather than fast-paced action or dramatic confrontations.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a specific vibe: the combination of a slow, deliberate pace with a medium emotional weight, centered on a character's quiet but steadfast perseverance. The experience is defined by a feeling of hopeful melancholy as the character navigates challenges that are procedural and systemic, making their personal victory deeply moving.

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Miracle in Rome Summary

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Miracle in Rome (1989) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

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