At the insistence of his mother, who saw no other viable alternative, he enters a Franciscan friary through the influence of his uncle Father Giovanni (Harold Goldblatt), an authority in the religious order.

Eventually, his good heart is noticed by the visiting Bishop Durso (Akim Tamiroff), a man of similar peasant background who then orders the friars train Giuseppe for the priesthood.

Although he learns little from the tutoring of other friars like Brother Orlando (Giulio Bosetti), Giuseppe passes the necessary examinations for the priesthood through a series of unlikely or possibly miraculous events.

Giuseppe is thus chained to the ground by his brother friars then subjected to an exorcism, but his levitations continue, persuading everyone – including his former critic Father Raspi – of the divine origins of his powers.

A TV Guide review says: "A light-hearted tone is kept throughout, but the stereotyped performances, unbelievable settings, and lifeless direction hurt whatever promises are inherent in the material".