Paolo Paschetto, 20th century
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Paolo Paschetto, 20th century |
The site where the Waldensians, upon their return from exile in 1689, following
a perilous long march, with Pastor Henri Arnaud swore faithfulness to God--today
marked by a monument with the names of the 15 'historic' Valleys communities
inscribed upon it.
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We pastors, captains, and other officers swear and promise before God, and on the life of our souls, to keep union and order among ourselves and to never sever ourselves from one another, while God shall preserve us in life, even if we should be reduced to three or four in number. And we soldiers promise and swear this day before God to obey the orders of our officers, and to continue faithful to them, even to the last drop of our blood...
And in order that union, the soul of our affairs, may remain forever unbroken among us, (we) officers swear fidelity to the soldiers, and (we) soldiers to the officers, all as one promising our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to rescue, as far as at all possible, the dispersed remnants of our people from the yoke which oppresses them, that along with them we may reestablish and maintain Christ's rule, even unto death, observing in good faith this present engagement so long as we shall live.»
To this day in significant gatherings Waldensians sing the following hymn in witness to their historic choice to stand united and faithful to God.
We raise our arms to the heavens, for this is the land where our forebears
swore faithfulness to God,
and swore to raise memorials
where for God's sake they died.
Sovereign of Sinai, Sovereign of Israel,With this oath may Heaven bless our forebears,
God of the saints, of the patriarchs,
as you saved these you have saved us, too.
In the land of our forebears
never let us abandon our faith--
struggle with us who fight for you.
and in this hour may God bless us again.
Hands joined together, Waldensians, let us repeat--
I swear, my God, to live and die for you.
To Major historic sites