The Church

The Church

Year: 1989

Runtime: 102 mins

Language: Italian

HorrorHorror the undead and monster classicsGothic and eerie haunting horrorTerrifying haunted and supernatural horrorCreepy chilling and terrifying horror

The Eleventh Commandment unfolds within a towering Gothic cathedral erected atop a mass grave from a Teutonic purge. When the newly arrived librarian uncovers an ancient discovery, the burial site erupts into a torrent of madness, brutal violence, and relentless demonic vengeance, drawing everyone inside into a nightmarish struggle.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – The Church (1989)

Trace every key event in The Church (1989) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Massacre and cathedral over the mass grave

In medieval Germany, Teutonic Knights massacre a village believed to be devil-worshippers and bury their bodies beneath the earth. The cathedral is later built as a Gothic monument over the grave, intended to contain the demonic evil. The event seeds the haunting that will echo through centuries.

13th century Medieval Germany
2

A modern librarian arrives

Evan starts his new job as the cathedral's librarian and meets Lisa, who oversees the fresco restoration. The surly Bishop and the kind Father Gus are introduced as part of the church's hierarchy. The Bishop warns Evan against entering the catacombs, citing their instability.

Present day Cathedral interior
3

Parchment discovery and bond

Lisa discovers a parchment carrying peculiar architectural schematics. Evan helps bring it to Lisa's home for study, and they bond over their shared interest in medieval art and architecture. Their budding connection becomes a quiet counterpoint to the mounting danger.

Evening Lisa's home
4

Latin inscription hints at seven-eyed stone

The parchment bears Latin text referencing a stone with seven eyes and a means to access it. Evan and Lisa discuss the ominous clue and its potential significance for the church's hidden past.

Evening Lisa's home
5

Catacombs expedition and discovery

Evan descends into the cathedral's catacombs and uncovers a hidden crypt containing a stone. When he opens the crypt, a vast black void appears, a blue light shines from the hole, and a sack is revealed; hands reach from inside and grab him as he loses consciousness.

Night Catacombs beneath the cathedral
6

Possession and self-inflicted harm

Hastened by the strange forces, Evan awakens with bleeding wrists and flees the sacristan. He loses control and commits a fatal self-inflicted injury, a shocking sign of the demon's takeover.

Following night Cathedral vicinity
7

Lisa dreams and demon attack

Lisa experiences a vision of the candlelit atrium, the sealed stones, and a vast space within the church. When awake, she is attacked by a goat-headed demon and escapes in terror, realizing something terrible is unfolding inside the building.

Night after Lisa's home / church interior
8

Sacristan possession and suicide

The sacristan begins showing the same symptoms and fears losing control. He confesses to Father Gus, then kills himself with a jackhammer in the cellar, triggering the church's security systems that seal the building.

Next day Church cellar
9

Crisis deepens: the Bishop's plan exposed

With the church sealed, occupants experience escalating visions as they search for a way out. Gus confronts the Bishop, who reveals a plan to let the evil inside kill the inhabitants first and thus unleash it on a corrupt world; the Bishop dies in the confrontation.

Crisis Chapel / Bishop's office
10

Lotte uncovers the past and the self-destruct mechanism

Lotte discovers memories through a woodcut that parallels centuries of massacre, learning that the church's architect carried a self-destruct mechanism in his body. Gus urges Lotte to flee as the danger breaches the present.

During crisis Chapel / church crypt
11

Self-destruct triggers the collapse

Gus finds the architect's mummified body beneath the floor and activates the self-destruct. The building collapses as the dead victims rise from beneath the church, and Lotte narrowly escapes the wreckage.

Moment of collapse Underneath the church / church interior
12

Final reveal: blue light and the seal blows

After the ruin, Lotte returns to the site with flowers. A passing truck uncovers the stone seal and blows it open, releasing blue light from within as she watches with a cryptic smile.

Post-collapse epilogue Ruined church site

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:18

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The Church Summary

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The Church Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Church

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