The people of Merchingen used to live from tourism, which has been at a standstill for years. With the incorporation, the idyllic provincial village is now threatened with the loss of its independence. In its hour of greatest need, a rumor spreads that the statue of the Virgin Mary in the local field chapel is shedding tears. This prompted skeptics, but an ecclesiastical investigation confirmed the authenticity of the supernatural apparition. The people of Merchingen rejoice, but the hardworking farmer's wife Kathi feels increasingly uncomfortable in her own skin, as she knows better than anyone else about the earthly origin of the divine sign.