Tears of the People is the story of a priest who was a renowned educator, philosopher and a recipient of his country’s Medal of Honor. During the Greek War of Independence in the early 1800s, Father Theophilos Kairis was an inspirational hero to the freedom fighters and populace alike. Newspapers described him as "the priest with a Bible in one hand and a carbine in the other."

His unconventional ideas and teachings, however, made him a threat to the Church, the State and powerful political conservatives. He was ultimately brought before the Greek Inquisition on charges of heresy and sentenced to years of torture in the catacombs of a medieval monastery. After his death, the Church Fathers took steps to eliminate every trace of his existence. They almost succeeded. To this day, legendary tales of the "evil" Father Kairis circulate throughout the Greek Isles. In some areas, his effigy is burned on Easter Sunday.