On the way to the prayer vigils for overcoming homotransbiphobia in 2026
19 years Have passed since, in 2007, on a spring evening, under the vaults of the Waldensian evangelical church in Florence, the firstprayer vigil for overcoming homotransbiphobia. From there a journey was born which, year after year, has involved many evangelical and catholic communities, in Italy and also in Spain, France, Holland, Malta and Poland.
This year in May the Vigils and cults to overcome homotransbiphobia will be united by the biblical verse «Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have called you by name» (Isaiah 43.1)
As in past years, the Faith, Gender and Sexuality Commission (FEGESE) of the Baptist, Methodist and Waldensian churcheshas prepared a text that every community can draw on to organize a vigil or even a cult dedicated Sunday. A concrete help to pray together, to remember, to give a name to what often remains hidden.
Also this year, thanks to the contributionof the Waldensian 8×1000, L 'association La Tenda di GionataWill make some publications available free of charge to the communities that will be watching to accompany the prayer and continue the reflection even afterwards... with words, stories, testimonies.
Among these publications we highlight the booklet “Corner stones. How to look at the reality of LGBT+ Christians?", which collects reflections capable of shifting the gaze: from people seen as a problem... to lives recognized as a gift with contributions from the pastor Daniela Di Carlo, the psychologist Chiara D'Urbano and pastor Letizia Tomassone who instead invite us not to remain prisoners of patterns and hierarchies, remembering that the Gospel opens up to "a community founded on love" and that God's blessing is not a prize, but a presence that accompanies even in the most difficult moments.
Or the booklet “I trust you. Listening to LGBTQ+ Christian people and their parents", where Tiziano, Daniela, Lorenzo, Alessandra and Luisa share their wounds and their desires, the internal conflicts, the ruptures and the recompositions that led them to ask for help from the volunteers of "Mi fido di Te", the first listening service for LGBTQ+ Christian people and their parents. With reflections from the Waldensian pastor Daniela Di Carlo, the Catholic nun Maria Luisa Berzosa González and the family consultant Alessandra Bialetti on how make our Christian communities places of welcome and support for LGBT people and for every person affected by discrimination.
Furthermore, you can also download the ebook for free.Chronicles of ordinary homophobia" by Massimo Battaglio. A journey through testimonies, reflections and analyzes that tell, without filters, the reality of homotransbiphobia in Italy in the last 13 years. Pages that give a face and a story to part of the2,104 lGBTQ+ PeopleAffected by exclusion, aggression and deep wounds. Not everything is told in these pages, but what is there is enough to understand... and not to look the other way.
If you wishreceive for freeOf paper copies for your community, you can write to:tendadigionata@gmail.comIndicating the shipping address and the number of copies requested and we will gladly give them to you until the available copies are exhausted.
It is good for us to say it again, after so many years: this journey continues... and continues together. To find out more about the vigils just click onhttps://www.gionata.org/inveglia/
A dear greeting from all of us
the volunteers of La Tenda di Gionata
