Built between 1491 and 1498, Turin’s cathedral was theatre to several events related to Waldensians. On 24 June 1517, after his first solemn pontifical mass, the new archbishop of Turin, Claude of Seyssel, met two Waldensians from Val Pragelato who were so fascinated by the splendour of the mass’ liturgy, they had decided to abjure. The archbishop was intrigued and decided to travel to the valleys to meet the Waldensians, preach and discuss with them.
His project did not have the effect he hoped: in 1520 he published in Paris an account of the experience: Treatise Against the Errors of the Waldensian Sect. Almost one century later, on May 18th 1655, forty Waldensians publicly abjured in a solemn ceremony. Among them were pastors Pietro Grosso of Villar Pellice and Francesco Aghit of Bobbio Pellice. They were captured, imprisoned, and later taken in the cathedral through a raucous crowd. They were able to escape quickly and return to the Waldensian valleys, were they were forgiven and restored to their pastoring ministries.