Vaya con Dios

The Cantorian Order lives within Auersberg Abbey in Brandenburg, worshiping in Latin and believing the Holy Spirit reveals itself through music. Since 1693 they have endured persecution from the Roman Catholic Church, and the two surviving monasteries remain estranged because Auersberg keeps the Regula cantorianorum.

Upon the death of Abbot Stephen, who had shielded the monastery from the world, the dynamic of the community shifts. Following his dying behest, the three monks decide to abandon their home and seek the mother house in Italy, taking the Regula with them.

The three monks leave Auersberg behind and set out to join the Cantorian mother house in Italy. The Regula cantorianorum goes with them, marking a decisive break with their past. The journey foreshadows the temptations awaiting each of them.

Unprepared for life beyond the abbey, the monks travel on foot across Europe. Their trek exposes them to new landscapes and human encounters as they move toward Montecerboli. The arduous journey tests their vows and resolve.

A sudden act on the road causes Chiara, a young journalist, to veer off the road in her classic Mercedes-Benz. She becomes involved when she offers help to the monks and assists them in continuing toward their destination. This encounter becomes a turning point in their journey.

Chiara ferries the monks closer to the mother house in Italy, providing shelter and guidance. The trio depends on her kindness as they navigate unfamiliar territory. Their goal remains to reach Montecerboli and reclaim their sacred manuscript.

Arbo, the youngest monk, finds himself drawn to Chiara and begins to struggle with leaving behind monastic life for love. The tension between devotion and desire complicates his choices during the journey. The attraction becomes a source of inner conflict for him.

Tassilo contemplates returning to his widowed mother and the farm, sensing a pull away from the vows he has taken. The option of family life tempts him to abandon the monastery's path. His inner debate mirrors the broader test faced by the group.

Benno becomes tempted by the Jesuit library in Karlsruhe and by its head, Pater Claudius Leis, a former rival in love. The library represents seductive knowledge and power that could pull him from his vows. This danger highlights the clash between desire and commitment.

The manuscript Regula cantorianorum holds the power to redefine the Cantorians and explains the rift between the German and Italian branches. The monks carry this symbol of their order's fate and the long history of separation. This object drives the stakes of their journey.

The long-standing estrangement between Auersberg and Montecerboli remains a backdrop as the journey progresses. The monks' crossing toward the mother house tests whether reconciliation is possible. Their choices along the road will influence the future of their order.

The trio finally reaches the mother house in Montecerboli, Italy, bringing the Regula with them. They must confront the consequences of leaving Auersberg and the temptations they faced along the way. The reunion marks a new phase for the Cantorian order.