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of the Women's Cultural Association of San Sisto dei Valdesi
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OUR MUSEUM IS WAITING FOR YOU!
Located in a majestic palace in San Sisto's historical center, the Museum of Waldensian culture and farming art "Scipione Lentolo" has been the destination for curious people, students, academics and tourists for more than fifteen years… COME JOIN US!
MUSEUM OF WALDENSIAN CULTURE AND FARMING ART
"SCIPIONE LENTOLO"
Palazzo Miceli
Via S.Bevacqua - San Sisto dei Valdesi
87030 San Vincenzo La Costa
The Museum opens by reservation, to be made via our contacts, but you can find it available for visits whenever there are important events in the small village of San Sito dei Valdesi.
The Museum is open with seasonal openings of at least 100 days a year, so it is recommended that you book your visit so that it can take place at other times than when it is open.
The Museum is always open during the Notte Bianca (White night), which is an event organized by the Pro Loco of San Vincenzo La Costa, which is held the first week of August each year, as well as during the International Accordion Festival, organized by the Municipal Administration, and during the civil celebrations of the patronal feast of Saint Rocco.
An offer with a starting price of only 2 euros is required to Access the Museum.
One visit to the museum, along with a visit to the Village, instead requires offers for a minimum of 3 Euro.
Children under 6 years of age are exempt from paying.
Tours are available for the disabled, and they are to be requested at the time of booking.
Book your visit by writing to our E-mail: sansistodeivaldesi@gmail.com
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Conceived and set up by the San Sisto Waldensian Women's Cultural Association, the Museum of Waldensian culture and farming art "Scipione Lentolo" was born on September 19, 2009, in the rooms of Palazzo Miceli, a historic 16th-century building.
In addition to the monumental hallway, Palazzo Miceli features, on the upper floor, frescoed wooden ceilings and a majolica kitchen probably dating from the late 19th century.
The museum, located on the ground floor, contains evidence of the Waldensian presence in San Sisto, but also tells of the farming world that, in this village, was characterized by a simple culture and, at the same time, rich in wisdom .
Inside, rooms have been divided by thematic areas telling and replicating the typical rooms of a Waldensian home (kitchen, bedroom, etc.).
The reconstruction work was based on the reading and interpretation of historical accounts and oral tradition.
Continuing
the tour, it is possible to see documents from the archives of the Vatican and
Naples: theynarrate the massacre and the presence of the ultramontans in San
Sisto.
An integral part of the museum is the Herbarium, composed of herbs collected from the Saintsistine territory, which, in addition to food, were used by the occitane Mulieres to prepare pharmaceutical remedies at home.
A kitchen is reconstructed in the same room: an ancient table, utensils of all sorts and descriptive panels shed light on the ancient way of living in the kitchen and preparing food.
The exhibits exposed in this room as in the others, are all original. They might not be genuinely Waldensian (clearly), but they offer the same representational dignity.
Next, immediately adjacent, is the representation of the bedroom. Here, too, antique objects and illustrative panels are set out.
Downstairs, the artifacts commemorating the massacre of the Waldensians can be found. Here stand, duly protected by a shrine, the bones found in 2007 during the re-paving of the Congregation of the Immaculate Conception.
Collected and analyzed by the Mangone National Research Council, these bone finds are attributed, with good certainty, to the Waldensians of the San Sisto massacre dated 1561.In the same room are located agricultural tools useful for working the fields.
Everywhere throughout
this part of Palazzo Miceli dedicated to the museum, descriptive panels are
displayed that are useful in summarizing the Waldensian history of San Sisto in
its most crucial and significant parts.
Everywhere throughout this part of Palazzo Miceli dedicated to the museum, descriptive panels are displayed that are useful in summarizing the Waldensian history of San Sisto in its most crucial and significant parts.
In 2019, a section of the museum has been dedicated to the King of Sila Marco Berardi, a character still shrouded in mystery who plays an important role in the collective imagination of the entire Region of Calabria.
All those who are already familiar with the legend of Berardi certainly know that his deeds were inspired and nourished by the harassment suffered by the Waldensians of San Sisto in 1561; for others, however, it will be a pleasant discovery and a welcome insight.
Scipione Lentolo
Scipione Lentolo (Napoli, 1525- Chiavenna, 1599), pastore cristiano evangelico e teologo italiano. Divenne monaco a venti anni e conseguì nel 1549 il titolo di Dottore in Teologia, ma nel 1555 lasciò il monastero per sposarsi.L'inquisizione allora lo accusò di eresia e lo imprigionò , ma lui riuscì a scappare nel 1558 e si rifugiò a Ginevra dove venne a contatto con le comunità protestanti. Fu a Ginevra che divenne pastore evangelico e grazie alla sua funzione potè raccogliere le testimonianze dei valdesi di San Sisto scampati alla furia dell'Inquisizione nel 1561 e che si rifugiarono presso i confratelli Piemontesi dove Lentolo era pastore. Il suo libro "Historia delle grandi e crudeli persecuzioni fatte ai tempi nostri in Provenza, Calabria e Piemonte" fu pubblicato postumo nel 1906 con la prefazione di Teofilo Gay, influente teologo.Scipione Lentolo
(Naples, 1525- Chiavenna, 1599), was an Italian evangelical Christian pastor
and theologian. He became a monk at the age of twenty and received the title of
Doctor of Theology in 1549, but in 1555 he left the monastery to marry.
The Inquisition then accused him of heresy and imprisoned him, but he managed to escape in 1558 and took refuge in Geneva, where he came into contact with Protestant communities. It was in this city that he became an evangelical pastor and, thanks to his position, he was able to collect the testimonies of the Waldensians of St. Sisto who escaped the fury of the Inquisition in 1561 and took refuge with the Piedmontese brethren. His book "Historia delle grandi e crudeli persecuzioni fatte ai tempi nostri in Provenza, Calabria e Piemonte" was published posthumously in 1906 with a preface by Theophilus Gay, an influential theologian.
From this work we glean important information about San Sisto, wrongly believed for too long to have been only a thoroughfare for the Waldensian heretics. Instead, we discover were very numerous and especially preponderant for this small village, so much so that they made San Sisto their most important center in Calabria at the time.
About us
The Women's Cultural Association of San Sisto dei Valdesi was established in March 2004, with the specific intent of rediscovering, enhancing and promoting the history of San Sisto, inextricably linked to customs and traditions of the Waldensian heritage.
The association is made up of Women who do their best on every occasion for the development of culture in the area by carrying out, uninterruptedly since 2004, various conferences, popularization and publications of initiatives.
In 2009, the the Museum of Waldensian culture and farming art "Scipione Lentolo" was created, which over the years has become a point of reference for students and all those who want to approach and learn more about Waldensian history. Another important project was the making of a short film on the massacre of the Waldensians and the figure of Marco Berardi (also known as King Marcone) entitled "Tempo di eresia."
Various historical researches have been published, and the effort is renewed every year in early June on Remembrance Day.