Joseph and Mary arrive in Bethlehem but discover they are not welcome - Joseph's family know of Mary's apparent betrayal. When Mary goes into labour, Joseph searches for somewhere for her to give birth, settling on a stable behind an inn. Thomas the shepherd is driven to violence in his rage and frustration, until he learns that the talk of the coming of the Messiah is not just words. And as the stars align, Balthasar, Melchior and Gaspar hurry in disguise to Bethlehem, desperate to be present at the greatest moment in history.