Waldensian Bonfire Night (February 17th)

The fires of freedom on the hills of the Pellice Valley

As evening falls on February 16th, the hills of Luserna San Giovanni, in the Pellice Valley (Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont), are dotted with flames. These are the Waldensian bonfires, lit to celebrate the eve of February 17th, the most cherished Festival of Freedom for the Italian Waldensian community. This is no ordinary festival: it is a collective ritual of remembrance repeated for generations, where fire becomes a symbol of civil and religious achievement reached after centuries of persecution.

History: The Letters Patent of 1848

On February 17, 1848, King Charles Albert of Savoy signed the Letters Patent, granting Waldensians the same civil and political rights as other subjects: access to schools and universities, the right to practice professions, the ability to earn academic degrees, and the right to reside outside the alpine valleys where they had been confined for centuries. It was a historic turning point for a long-discriminated and persecuted religious minority. Since then, every year on the eve of the anniversary, "fires of joy" are lit on the heights of the Waldensian Valleys: the bonfires commemorate that hard-won freedom and reinforce the idea that rights must be protected and expanded in a pluralistic society.

Bonfires in the hamlets of Luserna San Giovanni

In Luserna San Giovanni, the official bonfire is coordinated by the Waldensian Churches of Angrogna and Luserna San Giovanni and is lit in the Stallè area, on the orographic left of the Pellice stream. Around the official fire, however, Waldensian families and citizens independently light numerous other bonfires scattered across the hillside hamlets: in Castelluzzo, in the Coustera area along the Panoramica road, and in the Giaime hamlet, where fires are spread between Ciò d'Mai, the Ciabot d'le masche, the Saret road, and the Valleombrosa road. The lighting usually takes place between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM, when the entire hillside glows and the fires respond to one another from hamlet to hamlet.

The torchlight procession and the February 17th worship

The evening of February 16th begins with a torchlight procession: the meeting point is the Waldensian Kindergarten square, from where the procession sets off by torchlight toward Stallè, meeting the procession coming from Angrogna to light the bonfire, accompanied by the Pellice Valley Trumpeters. The following day, February 17th, the festival continues with a solemn worship service in the Bellonatti temple, accompanied by the choir, and the traditional community lunch in the Sala Albarin. The day often concludes with a theatrical performance by the church group, in a festive atmosphere that blends spiritual depth, historical identity, and local social life.

A festival that also illuminates the town hall

In recent years, the celebration has also involved local institutions: the Municipality of Luserna San Giovanni has created a scenic projection on the facade of the town hall, featuring images of the bonfire, the edict of civil liberties, and the signature of King Charles Albert, highlighting the messages of freedom, unity, and community that drive this anniversary. For those wishing to learn about Waldensian history and identity, the Bonfire Night is the most authentic opportunity to immerse oneself in a living tradition of Protestant Piedmont.