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The Waldensian movement appeared toward the end of the 12th century. From the outset, it claimed the freedom to live Christianity according to the model of the primitive Church* and dismissed the mores of the Catholic Church of the time. Its followers were for the most part members of the laity*. They asserted the necessity of living frugally like Christ* and the apostles*, hence the attribution to them of the name the poor of Christ; they were also called the poor of Lyon because of the geographical origin of the movement. As for the term Waldensian (in Latin valdenses-the word is not found in any document originating from within the community), historians have proposed two hypotheses to explain its meaning and origin. According to one, the name comes from its founder, the Lyon native Valdesius (whose name is recorded in his profession of faith* of the diocesan synod* of Lyon of 1180), or Vaudès (Gonnet 1980), or Valdès (Thouzellier 1982); the name Valdo is merely an Italian version of Vaudès or Valdès. The first name Pierre, with which it is associated from the second half of the 14th century onward (recorded in an exchange of letters between the Waldensians of Lombardy and those of Austria), reflects the intent to make a historical connection between the Waldensian movement and the apostolic age; further, the Waldensians are said from the outset to have claimed their apostolic succession*, basing it on Scripture*. All of this constitutes a Waldensian myth* that no longer has currency. The second hypothesis is based on toponymy: the adjective valdensis is said to mean inhabitant of the “vaudes,” which designates a certain configuration of the landscape (see Bosio 1995).