Waldensian Museum

The "life cycle"

The long corridor on the left of the museum hosts a display of objects and photographs (from the Waldensian Photographic Archive, housed in the same building) on the theme "life cycle": the "rites of passage" which mark the daily life within a community.

- From birth to childhood : the birth of a son or a daughter was an event that, in the absence of doctors or midwives, required the assistance of an older woman with experience. Baptism took place in the church, during the Sunday service. This was when the child's parents, godfather and godmother promised in front of the community, to give the newly born infant an education according to the teaching of the Sacred Scriptures. In the glass case is displayed a layette belonging to a well-off family. The childhood of children from humble social backgrounds was arduous and from a very early age they learnt what work meant. School and religious instruction also marked their childhood and adolescence. The toys on show, while simple and made with poor materials, remind us that there was, though, time for play.

- Confirmation : for Waldensians the passage from childhood to adulthood came at the time of their confirmation. Once having received biblical instruction, the boys and girls asked to become part of the community, confirming the baptism that had been administered to them as infants. Now for the first time they were allowed to partake of the Lord's Supper (communion with bread and wine in memory of Jesus Christ's Last Supper).

- Engagement and marriage : it was an old custom for the fi ancé to offer his betrothed small wooden objects carved with just a knife during the winter "watches". Among those on show is a distaff for spinning, carved and painted little work-boxes and mirror and comb cases. Marriage was an event for the family and the community, and, like today, there were celebrations with processions, banquets and dances. A civil celebration in the Town Hall proceeded the blessing of the couple in the parsonage.

- Death and funeral customs : sometimes in the mountains snow made the roads impassable, which meant that the burial had to be postponed; in order to preserve the corpse in their dwellings, families had to have a store of planks of pine in order to make a coffin. After a brief religious service in the house or courtyard, the coffin was car-ried to the place of burial on the men's shoulders using long poles. Sometimes a large sledge or cart pulled by a horse (shown here) were used. Up until 1848 Waldensians were forbidden to bury their dead in local cemeteries which obliged them to use secluded sites elsewhere.

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  Annual closure:
  December and January
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