The main subject of the book is how Robert Langdon, with the help of the beautiful scientist Vittoria Vetra, search for the container of a dangerous substance named antimatter that would destroy the Vatican city at midnight, and rescue the four cardinals in the day of the Conclave. To find the container and rescue the cardinals, Langdon and Vittoria have to follow the "Path of Illumination", that is marked by sculptures made by a member of illuminati - Bernini, each of them representing one of the elements of science, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. In the end they are able to rescue only 1 cardinal and the antimatter is lifted into the sky where it explodes harmlessly.