Chapter 5 Summary

The valley of the Galilea monastery is a two-day journey from Cuidad. The monastery has become a famous center of learning over the centuries, and its most celebrated resident is Beneditx, who is writing a treatise on the knowledge of angels.

As Beneditx writes about how nothing in the world can happen without the intervention of invisible angels, he sees a rider in the distance. A messenger climbs to Beneditx's cell, which is built high on a cliff, and delivers a message from Severo. The note reads: "A hard thing must be decided. Come to me." Beneditx's departure causes a stir, as he rarely leaves Galilea.

Beneditx arrives in Cuidad late in the evening and settles into a room in Severo's residence. Beneditx is noted for his humility and how he fair treatment of everyone. He remembers the names of the clergy in...