Peter Waldo

Peter Waldo
Statue of Peter Waldo at the Luther Memorial at Worms, Germany
Born	c. 1140
Died	c. 1205 (aged 64–65)
Occupation	Spiritual leader, theologian, merchant
Notable work	No known works that survived Roman Catholic persecution
Theological work
Tradition or movement	Waldensian

Peter Waldo, Valdo, Valdes, or Waldes (c. 1140 – c. 1205), also Pierre Vaudès or de Vaux, is credited as the founder of the Waldensians, a Christian spiritual movement of the Middle Ages, descendants of which still exist in various regions of southern Europe. However, citation evidence by Eberhard de Béthune stated the name Waldenses more than 10 years before Peter Waldo, (1170) and the monk Bernard de Foncald wrote about the heretics who were known as "Valdensis" who were condemned during the pontificate of Pope Lucius II in 1144, decades before Peter Waldo. These extant citation sources clearly prove the existence of the actual name Valdenses existed prior to Peter.

Specific details of his life are greatly unknown. Extant sources relate that he was a wealthy clothier and merchant from Lyons and a man of some learning. Sometime shortly before the year 1160 he was inspired by a series of events, firstly, after hearing a sermon on the life of St. Alexius, secondly, rejection of transubstantiation when it was considered a capital crime to do it, thirdly, the sudden and unexpected death of a friend during an evening meal. From this point onward he began living a radical Christian life giving his property over to his wife, while the remainder of his belongings he distributed as alms to the poor.

At about this time, Waldo began to preach and teach publicly, based on his ideas of simplicity and poverty, notably that "No man can serve two masters, God and Mammon" accompanied by strong condemnations of Papal excesses and Catholic dogmas, including purgatory and transubstantiation, while accusing them of being the harlot from the book of Revelation. By 1170 he had gathered a large number of followers who were referred to as the Poor of Lyons, the Poor of Lombardy, or the Poor of God who would spread their teaching abroad while disguised as peddlers. Often referred to as the Waldensians (or Waldenses), they were distinct from the Albigensians or Cathari.