The book tells the dramatic story of Lithuanian priest and Capuchin monk, Father Stanislovas Dobrovolskis (1918–2005). From Lithuania's first independence in 1918 to the next in 1990, Father Stanislovas shared all the hardships of that era with his people.

During World War II, he saved Jews, and during the Soviet period, he spent ten years in labor camps. After his release, he was "under the watchful eye" of the KGB due to his human rights activities. The parish in the secluded village of Paberžė, where Father Stanislovas continued his ministry and gathered a unique collection of church and folk art, was visited by pilgrims from all over the Soviet Union.

Father Stanislovas became one of Lithuania's most renowned priests, known for his openness, compassion, and advocacy for the destitute and marginalized. The book includes recollections of Russian pilgrims in Paberžė: N. Trauberg, Father Yakov Krotov, Z. Maslenikova, Father Vladimir Zelinsky, Father Yevgeny Heinrichs, and others.