the Waldensians were for the first
time in their history to know a
free way of life. That knowledge
gave them energy and fervor to
carry their celebration on into the
night. A scene at once wefrd and
impressive was created when the
Waldensians built giant bonfires
along hilltop positions — bonfires
which were, in a sense, beacons of
liberty. No Waldcnsian slept that
night. The emotional excitement
was too great.
Thus the high point, the climax,
in the Waldensians' struggle for
religious and civil liberty had
come. Centuries before, they had
broken away from the Roman
Catholic Church, regarding it as too
worldly and not representative of
their true feelings. These were the
beliefs to which the Waldensians
subscribed : ( 1 ) That oaths were
forbidden by the gospel; (2) That
capital punishment was not allowed
to civil authority; ( 3 ) That any
layman might consecrate the sac¬
rament of the altar;
(4»
That the
Roman Catholic Church was not
the church of Christ.
Just as soon os the Waldensians
rose in revolt, seeking to worship
as they pleased, they became the
objects of scorn, contempt, and
persecution. In 1170, Peter Waldo,
a rich citizen of Lyons, France,
took the helm of leadership over
the Waldcnsian religious movement
and gave it force, direction and
purpose. He sold all his worldly
goods and struck off down the open
road, preaching to wayside listen¬
ers. He gained many converts that
way. Other men of wealth fol¬
lowed his example and joined
forces with the Waldensians. Wal¬
do's influence was to be felt, it
was to serve as a guiding force for
the Waldensians for centuries to
come.
Fled to the Mountains
As one religious persecution
after another lashed and harried
the Waldensians, they had to de¬
sert chief centers of population and
flee to mountain strongholds in or¬
der to survive. Their most severe
test came in the year 1487. Pope
Innocent VIII ordered a no-mercy-
shown crusade against them.
“Wipe them out!" was his dictum.
And his Catholic mercenaries set
about to do just that.
Hard pressed, the Waldensians
kept retreating. Their losses were
heavy. It began to look as though
they wouldn’t reach their hide¬
away retreat without suffering
mass slaughter. But just when the
Waldensians were beginning to
THE STATE. Fioruawy 1 5. 1947
Next Monday Is
Fourth of July
Kot for most of our readers, it is
true, hut for 1 In* folks wlio live up in
the town of Valdese. W'hich is loeated
in Ifurke County.
By HOYT MeAFEE
ONCE a year, on the Satur¬
day night nearest February
17. Waldensians of Valdese.
N. C.. gather at their community
center and celebrate their religious
and civil freedom. That date
February 17th — bears the same
significance to them that the 4th
of July does to other Americans.
For it was on February 17. 1848,
that King Charles Albert of Pied¬
mont. swayed by the outraged
force of public opinion, granted
the Waldensians the liberties and
rights they and their ancestors had
fought and paid dearly for over
long dark centuries.
That act amounted to an "Eman¬
cipation Proclamation" for the
Waldensians. It was the happiest
moment in their history. Even
before Charles Albert had signed
the decree which would grant Wal¬
densians full religious and civil
freedom, they swarmed into the
streets of their towns and villages
amid the Cottian Alps of Southern
France and northern Italy and cel¬
ebrated with an outpouring of joy.
Their wild, gladsome shouts of
“freedom! freedom!" resounded
through the Waldensian valleys.
They marched along in twos, in
Eps. some of them with arms
;d. They sang their favorite
songs. Their happiness erupted in
one great emotional display.
Great Celebration
After centuries of unspeakably
cruel persecution at the hands of
Catholic popes and Catholic armies,
The Waldensian women of Valdese still wear their native costumes
at special folk celebrations which arc held from time to time.