In the aftermath of a World War II battle, Father Gaetano is assigned as the sole priest at the Church of San Domenico in a small village, and its rectory has been converted into an orphanage. The children have lost much in the war, and many have begun to question their faith. Gaetano's attempts to teach them the catechism are in vain, until he finds an old puppet theatre in the basement. The puppets seem the perfect tool to get the children to pay attention to their lessons. But after dark the puppets emerge from that ornate box, without their strings. While the children have questioned their faith, the puppets believe Father Gaetano's Bible stories completely!