The film opens with a quotation from the Book of Psalms, Psalm 82:6-7: "I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men and fall like one of the princes."The monks' peaceful routine of prayer, medical assistance, and community interaction is soon interrupted by the threat of an Islamic fundamentalist group. When their elected leader, Christian (Lambert Wilson), declines the protection of the corrupt civil authority, the monks divide among themselves on the question of whether to stay or flee Algeria.Luc (Michael Lonsdale) is an old monk, in charge of medical treatments for the local population. Nouredine (Abdelhafid Metalsi) is a local who helps the monastery with masonry work. The monastery is shown to be well integrated in the local society, trusted and respected by everyone. They sell organic honey at the local markets. The monks are alarmed by news of Islamist fundamentalists taking control of Algeria and closer to home, by the news of killing of Croat workers, who were friends of the monastery.The Monks are angry with Christian when he refuses the help of the local corrupt government for protection. They believe it should have been a collective decision. Before a decision is reached, a group of fundamentalists, led by Ali Fayattia (Farid Larbi), enters the monks' compound in force on Christmas Eve and demands their doctor and his medical supplies. Christian refuses their requests and cites the Quran as proof of the monks' goodwill. With a mixture of surprise and respect, Fayattia leaves the compound and grants it his protection until his capture, torture and death at the hands of government forces.later, the monks sit down to discuss. Some Monks want to give medicines to the Islamists, some want to leave and take shelter in a safer place. The monks are split between staying at the monastery or leaving for good. Despite the growing danger, the monks come to consensus on the moral importance of maintaining their committed lives with, and ministry to, the local population, even when faced with violence and death.Christian is again summoned by the Algerian Govt Minister who gives him an order from the Interior Ministry to leave the country. They implore Christian that they are not in control of the country anymore and that they cannot guarantee anyone's safety. Christian refuses to leave. One day a wounded Islamist is brought to the Monastery and as Christian promised, he is treated by Luc without prejudice. One day, the country army informs Christian that Fayattia was captured and killed. His protection of the monastery is finally finished. At the next vote, all the monks vote against leaving the monastery.Ultimately, the terrorists seize most of the monks during a nighttime raid and hold them hostage. As the captive monks trudge a snowy path towards a grim fate, the film concludes with the spiritual testament of prior Christian De Cherge, bravely written in the face of death. The Monks were killed on May 21st, 1996. The identity of their killers and the circumstances of their deaths remain a mystery.