22 June 2015
Monday, June 22nd, 2015 Pope Francis made the first ever visit by a pope to a Waldensian temple in Torino, Italy.
“On behalf of the Catholic Church, I ask forgiveness for the un-Christian and even inhumane positions and actions taken against you historically,” he said. “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, forgive us!” This was reported by Reuters, UK edition the same day. Reuters Article.
Waldensian persecutions began as early as A. D. 1147 when Pope Alexander III excommunicated Waldo and his adherents, being informed by the bishop of Lyons of the Waldenses or Waldoys strenuous oppositions to popery, and then commanded the bishop to exterminate them, if possible, from the face of the earth. When such extreme measures did not result in the desired outcome, learned monks were sent to preach among them to endeavor to argue them out of their opinions. One such monk was Dominic from which the order of Dominican friars arose.1
In the 14th century many of the Waldenses of Pragela and Dauphiny emigrated to Calabria in Italy. As their numbers increased they incorporated two towns. When clergymen from Geneva arrived to preach in each town and make a public profession of their Waldensian faith, Pope Pius the Fourth determined to exterminate them from Calabria. Cardinal Alexandrino and two monks began the inquisitions. In the first town, St. Xist, he attempted to force attendance at mass which resulted in the towns people fleeing into the woods. He proceeded to the second town, La Garde where he locked the gates of the town and deluded the inhabitants while he sent for troops of soldiers to hunt and destroy the citizens of St. Xist. Once the displaced Waldenses figured out the intent of the soldiers, half-armed they resisted resulting in many slain on both sides. Incensed the cardinal sent to the viceroy of Naples for reinforcements. The viceroy raised an army of outlaws, promised pardons, and in short order exterminated all the inhabitants of St. Xist.
Next the cardinal and viceroy turned their attentions to the citizens of La Garde whom they persecuted relentlessly. Being called back to Naples and Rome, the viceroy and cardinal left the extermination in the hands of the marquis of Butane who left not a single person of the reformed religion living in all Calabria.2
The Piedmont valleys continued to be a place of refuge for the Waldenses however the Roman clergy could not abide their increases and success. They, accordingly complained to the archbishop of Turin who ordered the commencement of persecutions in the valleys. The complaints were:
1. They did not believe in the doctrines of the church of Rome.
2. They made no offerings or prayers for the dead.
3. They did not attend mass.
4. They did not confess and receive absolution.
5. They did not believe in purgatory, or pay money to get the souls of their friends out of it. 3.
The persecutions heaped upon them by the order of the archbishop eventually lead to armed combat between the Roman Church and the Waldensians. This came to the attention of Philip, the seventh duke of Savoy, who listened to both sides then ordered an end to the persecutions. Peace lasted for many years, until the death of Philip.
12 October 1532 a meeting was held in the valleys at Chanforan, at which time the Waldenses decided to join the reformation and emerge from secrecy. They openly began to worship in French. They raised 1500 gold crowns and together with their reformist brethren had the scriptures printed in 1535 by a Swiss printer. It was a French Bible, translated by Pierre Robert Olivetan and based in part on a New Testament in the Waldensian vernacular. 4.,
The succesors to Philip, duke of Savoy were not so benevolent and, being exasperated that the Waldenses dared to change from private preaching to actually peach their doctrines publicly, he sent a considerable force into the Piedmont area to force obedience to the church in Rome. Suffering extreme losses his troops were recalled but the lines were drawn. Any Waldensian that strayed too far from their secure locations was captured and flayed alive or burnt. Pope Paul the third on his ascension to the pontifical chair in 1534, immediately solicited the parliament of Turin to persecute the Waldenses “as the most pernicious of all heretics.” 5.
Another period of peace ensued when Charles III became duke of Savoy and gave a full ratification of peace according to the last injunctions of his father.
In 1545 the French King Francis I issued the “Arret de Merindol” and assembled an army against the Waldensians of Provence. What followed is known as the “Massacre of Merindol”.
A treaty granted amnesty to the Protestants of the valleys in June of 1561, nevertheless many suffered during the French Wars of Religion (1562-1598).
In January of 1655,the Duke of Savoy commanded all Waldensians to attend Mass or remove to the upper valleys of their homeland. They had 20 days to dispose of their properties. The Easter massacre followed when on 24 April, 1655, at 4 a.m. a signal was given and the Duke’s forces slaughtered, looted, raped, and tortured the inhabitants. To set up the massacre, the Duke, under false pretenses, required the local populace to quarter the troops in their homes. The massacre is now known as the “Piedmont Easter”.
In 1685 Victor Amadeus II, the newly ascended Duke of Savoy renewed the persecution of the Waldenses. 31 January 1686 he decreed the destruction of all the Vaudois churches and that all inhabitants of the Valleys should publicly announce their error in religion within fifteen days under penalty of death and banishment. 2,500 Waldenses were able to defend themselves against 9,000 invading soldiers. On 9 April the Duke of Savoy issued a new edict, enjoining the the Waldenses to put down their arms within eight days and go into exile. Despite a stirring appeal by Henri Arnaud at the Waldensian assembly at Roccapiatta on the 18th of April, and a courageous battle, the Waldenses were defeated within 6 weeks. 2,000 were killed, 2,000 “accepted” the Catholic theology of the Council of Trent. Another 8,000 were imprisoned of which half died of sickness and self imposed starvation within six months. Another 200 – 300 escaped into the mountains and continued a guerilla war over the Catholics settlers who arrived to take possession of the Waldensian lands. Their tactics were successful enough to cause the Duke to negotiate. In the negotiation the “Invincibles” as the guerilla warriors were called, were able to obtain the release of the prisoners provided they left immediately with safe passage to Geneva. 2,800 left for Geneva. 2,490 survived the exodus.
In May of 1689 the Duke suddenly changed political alliance from France to the League of Augsburg which ended the French pursuit of the Waldensians. In fact, the Duke agreed to defend the Waldenses and called for all other Vaudois exiles to return home to help protect the Piedmont borders from the French. This became knows as the “Glorious Return”.
After the French Revolution, in 1848, King Charles Albert of Sardinia granted the Waldensians civil rights and they were assured liberty of conscience.
1. Fox’s Book of Martyrs, pages 54-55, August 25, 2007 (eBook #22400).
2. Ibid, pages 105-110.
3. Ibid, page 111.
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldensians
5. Fox’s Book of Martyrs, pages 113, August 25, 2007 (eBook #22400).