While there's some controversy about just when this sect arose, it's generally believed that Peter Waldo, a missionary in the 12th century, is the one who gave it its name. Like Martin Luther, whose protest led to the birth of Protestantism in the 16th century, the Waldensians were disturbed by the opulence of the medieval church and the worldly lives of churchmen at that time, and eventually they broke away from the Roman Catholic Church.
Today's Waldensians consider themselves Protestants, and while their numbers are few, their headquarters in Italy puts them toe-to-toe with the Vatican.
In this interview, , the Committee on Publication for The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Italy, spoke with . The Rev. Sciclone and another woman were the first female ordained pastors in the Waldensian church in Italy. Rev. Sciclone's church is located in Florence, but her influence transcends that city because she represents her denomination on the Presidential Council of the Conference of European Churches, an ecumenical organization.
