The Pope's death leaves Rome with a very large seat to fill and no one seemingly worthy of the appointment. When Cardinal Rocco spreads the word about the impossibly pious Cardinal Albini, this mysterious candidate is elected sight-unseen. However, a name mix-up results in the wrong man being sent for, and humble Priest Albinizi, a former garage mechanic and aspiring rocker, finds himself whisked from the dole to the Vatican to be crowned Pope. With the help of the street-wise Bish, a former road manager for the Sex Pistols, the new Pope soon uncovers a long trail of corruption and suspicious dealings surrounding the Church's finances, including a history of business relations with homicidal arms dealer Vittorio Corelli, who is plotting to usurp the papacy and rule Rome with a strong hand and a healthy arms trade. But when Corelli has Albinizi's son murdered, he has more than just the wrath of God to worry about, he has a pissed-off Pope on his trail.