The Waldensians

The Waldensians. . The Waldensian church originated in Europe with the preaching of the merchant Valdo in 1140-1217. The official symbol of the Waldensian church is a candle positioned over an open Bible. The original homeland of the Waldenses was in Northern Italy, near the French border in the Cottian Alps. In order to escape persecution, the people of the church traveled by boat from Europe to Uruguay, South America, in the year 1857. After 17 years the people relocated a second time and came to the United States in 1875 and settled south of what would become Monett, around the present location of the Waldensian Presbyterian Church. , The pastor of this organization was Rev. Jean P. Solomon. He had been with the people since they were located in South America. Once the colony was established, many others immigrated here in Monett. The mayor of Monett at the time was S. J. Courdin, and he was from the Waldensian Colony. The services in the Church were held in French until the turn of the century. The Waldensian church and the cemetery has been officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places. , Written by: Brittney Serrano and Dalia Rueda , This sign was created by students under the direction of Monett High School Missouri Literature and Composition teacher Amy M. Sampson and was paid for via a grant she wrote and was awarded from Rural Schools Collaborative and their 2023 Celia B. Godsil Grants in Place Fellows Program.