A serial murderer loose on the streets of Manhattan and a group of students who came from all over the world begin to be murdered one by one. As the bodies mount, two detectives race against time to stop the killing. The crime scenes and the way each victim was killed lead them to theorize that each of the murders may be linked to the victims ancient, saintly namesakes. As evidence continues to mount, the detectives are convinced that the killer is basing his crimes on the belief that in every generation there live 36 righteous individuals, and that with all of them gone, the world would fall into chaos and eventual darkness. The hunt is on to find the last of the 36 saints before the killer does.