Let’s talk about the history of the Witches of the Antigorio Valley
An episode that is historically placed between 1575 and 1620, in the period in which the inquisitors of the Catholic Church ventured into these remote lands with one goal: to eradicate heresy and spread the Counter-Reformation, a movement born from the Council of Trent (1545-1563) to respond to the criticisms of Martin Luther posted to Wittenberg in 1517, sought to reform the Catholic Church and strengthen the faith in the most isolated regions. The church issued new directives that the people had to follow and the local clergy were entrusted with the task of spreading these teachings even in the most remote areas, such as the Antigorio valley. The spread of the new faith met with many resistances, especially due to the reticence of the local populations to change and the difficulty of understanding the liturgical functions in Latin.
In this historical context, life in the Antigorio Life Valley flowed following ancient rhythms and beliefs. Local populations, often isolated due to climatic and morphological conditions, kept alive the cults linked above all to the land and nature. Ancestral practices that were often integrated into daily life without conflicting with Christianity, in a sort of peaceful coexistence.
And here is inserted the figure of the midwife, which had a fundamental task, that is to help mothers at the time of childbirth. These women possessed in-depth knowledge of medicinal herbs and natural remedies, passed down from generation to generation.
And people trusted them. The arrival of the inquisitors led to a conviction: their knowledge was at odds with religion and therefore became suspicious people.
It was in this way that the arrival of two clerical figures, Fra Alberto and Fra Domenico, two young Dominicans sent to the valley in 1575, changed the course of history. The two friars began to investigate the herbal practices of local women, seeing traces of heresy in them. In practice, the witch hunt began.
Especially between Domenico Buelli he was a prominent figure of the Inquisition. His cruelty and zeal in eradicating heresy led to the construction of new prisons and the continued persecution of the women of the valley.
The investigations of the two inquisitors aroused fear among the population. An edict was posted on the door of the church of San Gaudenzio in Baceno, urging the population to report any suspicion of witchcraft.
A climate of suspicion was created with the threat of excommunication for those who did not obey. In a short time, 20 women from Baceno, Crodo and Croveo were accused of witchcraft. Despite the suffering inflicted, many of the allegations were based on local superstitions and rivalries, as evidenced by subsequent cases of torture and forced confessions.
Crushing evidence against them was collected by the inquisitors. At least according to their point of view. The accused women were transferred to Novara and were jailed pending trial. In a place of great suffering like the city prisons and, even more so those of the Holy Inquisition and the bishop, the women were subjected to atrocious torture to extort confessions.
The women were tried and sentenced to severe penalties. Ten of them were placed under house arrest, seven were declared innocent and one was sentenced to remain in prison until death.
Gaudenzia Fogletta di Rivasco and Giovanna, called the Fiora, Croveo were instead condemned to the stake. The Church, however, did not execute the sentence because she claimed not to shed blood directly. Condemnation that was instead carried out by the secular arm.
The Inquisition brought terror to the Antigorius Valley until 1611, fueling unfounded accusations and personal rivalries. The climate of suspicion and fear established by the inquisitors left an indelible mark in the collective memory of the valley. Many women, unjustly accused, suffered torture and humiliation, while others were victims of personal vendettas disguised as religious zeal.
Their stories, albeit painful, are part of the cultural heritage of this region and are remembered every year with a festival that takes place in July.
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