Having lived through traumatizing events Father Lankester Merrin Has a sabbatical from the Church to conduct excavations at British-administered East Africa. Merrin unearths an ancient Byzantine church buried to maintain evil from the crypt below and then have now been assembled. The natives believe uncovering the church has unleashed a fanatic, and start to battle with the military troops. Because the village immediately disintegrates into chaos and war, Merrin must faceoff with the demon that has taken possession of some one close to him.