Summary

Ciro and Eduardo throw themselves into work at the convent, as their mother had suggested. Eduardo rises early and serves the morning mass, rings chimes to call the nuns for evening vespers, and uses his beautiful calligraphy to write letters and grades on report cards. Ciro, the more physical of the two, takes over the chores of the aging handyman, Ignazio Farino. With his physical labors and the hearty diet of the convent, Ciro soon develops into a robust 15-year-old. The brothers, because of the loss of their nuclear family, are accustomed to taking care of themselves. Although they clothe themselves in garments from the donation bin, the boys show a pride and maturity beyond their years.

One of Ciro's tasks is to replace the used linens from the altar; one day while performing this chore he encounters Don Raphael Gregorio...