Sacred Flesh

Sister Elizabeth experiences vivid visions of Mary Magdalene and a skeletal nun, signaling grave unrest within the convent. The visions prompt the abbess to call Father Henry, the abbot, and his servant Richard to investigate the rising hysteria among the sisters.

Elizabeth recounts the nuns' confessions and inner fantasies, including self-flagellation and rising arousal as she listens. The revelations expose a culture of repressed sexuality within the convent, where vows of chastity contend with hidden desires.

Elizabeth’s descriptions reveal how some nuns wrestle with desire and closeness within the rules of the order. The atmosphere grows tense as restraint versus longing becomes a central issue for the sisters.

Elizabeth’s accounts include a grave transgression where a nun is violated by two priests, highlighting a brutal abuse of power within the church hierarchy. The event underscores the danger and fear that reverberate through the sisterhood.

Scenes depict a non-consensual sexual episode among some sisters, resulting in harm to a fellow nun. The episode illustrates how coercive dynamics and secrecy fuel the convent’s turmoil.

Elizabeth collapses in her cell, writhes violently, and dies, haunted by visions of a crucified figure and the Sacred Heart. Her death marks a turning point as the other characters confront the consequences of the hysteria.

An imagined scene features a debate between Mother Elizabeth and Mary Magdalene about desire and chastity, suggesting that repressed longing permeates the convent. The dialogue frames desire as a driving force within faith and ritual.

Elizabeth details four fantasy vignettes that illustrate how desire and faith intersect in the nuns' lives. The vignettes blur the line between reverence and inner impulses, shaping the film’s tone.

Interludes include conversations with the convent’s former abbess, a priest, Abbess Elizabeth, a zombie nun, and an actress portraying the Catechism’s spirit. These dialogues reveal competing narratives about faith, memory, and what haunts the order.

The film describes the sex scenes as following a progressive structure, building toward climactic moments while keeping details non-graphic. The sequence emphasizes ritual and the performative dimension of the convent’s sexuality.

The concluding portion revisits religious imagery and ritualistic elements, intertwining spirituality with sensuality in a dramatic climax. The imagery underscores the tension between devotion and desire that runs through the story.

The narrative leaves the convent’s fate open as hysteria, guilt, and desire linger. Characters grapple with the meaning of the visions and acts for their faith and sense of self.