Prayer in a field and a little pilgrimage through Taizé
Lorenz (Germany)
Although I can already look back at five journeys to Taizé and the European Meetings in Brussels and Poznan, every Taizé experience is still different. This Saturday, August 14th, we celebrated three things in one big evening prayer: The 70th anniversary of the Taizé Community, the fifth anniversary of the death of its founder, Brother Roger, and the entry of a new young Italian brother.
The celebrations began with a prayer in a field between the old village and the setting sun; white clouds over our heads and green grass under our feet. Apart from the excellent organisation, it really surprised me how disciplined most of us 4000 participants were. We defied the numerous thistles and grasshoppers around us and managed to create an incomparable atmosphere when singing Tu sei sorgente viva and Jésus le Christ.
During the sunset, we went on a pilgrimage across the old village with its original buildings, the cemetery where Brother Roger’s grave is situated and the area of the community – singing The Kingdom of God.
Maybe our singing during the procession was not as brilliant as in the church afterwards during the lighting of the candles, but it shows that a choir always depends on each single voice – like a week in Taizé, which takes shape from the commitment of each single person. Once more, God’s spirit came to our aid!
Summer visitors
Each week of the summer, thousands of young people continue to gather at Taizé. From Sweden to Portugal, from Russia to Malta, all the European countries are represented. Moreover, the presence of volunteers from Africa, Asia and America strengthens the international character of the meetings.
Either accompanying youth groups or just personally visiting the community, many Church leaders have also made their way to the hill recently. Among them were several Catholic bishops, including Bishop Eterovic from Rome, the Archbishops of Dublin, Poznań and Dijon, bishops from England, Belgium, France, Croatia and Rwanda; several Anglican bishops including the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu; Swedish Lutheran pastors and Ukrainian Orthodox monks. Particularly striking was also the visit of twenty priests from mainland China.
Meeting with the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu
Fiodar (Belarus)
There are times when we meet someone and we can say that they are living the Gospel. This was the case during our meeting with the Anglican Archbishop of York, John Sentamu. The first thing that struck me was the simplicity in his attitude and in what he said. This is not someone who brings to the fore his rank or his experience or his qualities. This is a man for whom the Gospel is not a literary monument or the object of theological analysis. The Gospel is not a means for life, it is life itself. This absence of "rationalism" in his speech creates a kind of affinity between him and the prophets in the Bible. For him, the events of the incarnation and the resurrection do not belong to the past, they are what renews us in daily life. No one could remain indifferent!
Praying each day for the unity of Christians
Brigid (Australia)
This week, with a group of other young adults in Taizé, I had the opportunity to meet Father Gabriel Quicke who belongs to the Council for the promotion of Christian unity in Rome. We were able to share with him our experiences of ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue in our different countries. It was encouraging to hear what the young people had to say and to share so freely with people from every continent and from various churches.
Father Quicke also shared very openly and sincerely about his life and his experiences in his pastoral mission. He underlined the necessity of moving forward towards Christian unity, while at the same time celebrating and encouraging the diversity full of richness of our respective traditions. He also insisted on the importance of prayer, asking each of us to pray each day for the way of unity. Being a Christian is first of all to love: and living this love with those around us, we come closer to reconciliation between us. To me this advice seemed encouraging, for us who live so naturally a practical ecumenism in a place like Taizé, but for whom such openness does not always seem easy to live at home.
From Denmark to Taizé
Mahela and Silja (aged 16)
“Praying morning, noon and evening with a community of brothers… During our visit to Taizé, as young people from Denmark, we were completely submerged by new impressions. It was like being in another world, filled with the same spiritual search as many others. The daily program puts the accent on the three times of prayer, with silence and meditative songs that enable an immersion. At Taizé, we received a great deal of spiritual nourishment, and I learned to find God in the silence.”
“When we arrived in Taizé from Denmark, I actually expected to be bored by prayer three times a day, with long times of silence… I was simply not used to it in my own country. Finally, this week turned out to be a time where learned a great deal: listening to the voice of God, and what he wants to say to me, in order to have clearer image of who he is. I have a new respect for God, for through the prayer I have come to realise his greatness and his holiness.”
In Taizé the big weeks of summer have begun
In June, many Benedictine abbots and monks from different monasteries all over France came to Taizé in order to take part in the 1100th anniversary of the founding of the nearby Abbey of Cluny.
Among the nations represented on the hill in recent weeks were many Swedes, who often come at this time, and groups from Russia and Denmark. Now, summer has begun, with nearly 3,000 visitors in early July, of many different nationalities, including many Hungarians and Dutch, and also a small group from Armenia. The Archbishops of Valencia (Spain) and Perugia (Italy) stopped by, and also a group of Korean pastors.
A Theme workshop on the Trinity
Greg (USA)
Since I met people in Taizé who express their faith in very diverse ways, I tried to understand how we could be united. In a workshop on the Trinity that I took part in, one of the brothers brought up this point, in showing us how the teaching on the Trinity includes humanity. God is not something abstract that has to be understood but a reality who comes towards us. He created us and he forms our world out of chaos. Through the Incarnation he came to live among us in the person of Jesus and, finally, he acts in us through the Holy Spirit. As I understood this point of view better, I saw how at Taizé we live this Trinitarian reality, which makes possible a great diversity. When we become aware of the unity of God, we also understand how God works to make the Church one on earth, as it is in heaven.
Pentecost at Taizé
These images were filmed by Javier (Spain).
Exchanging with others about the meaning of our lives
Jikke (Netherlands)
The first time I came to Taizé I was still a child. But this year I have come back as a young adult, with many questions about my life. I have discovered that Taizé is not simply a place where you can speak about God, it is also a place where you can exchange with others about the meaning of our lives and about the way in which we can overcome the difficulties we encounter. Obviously, you cannot find replies to all of our questions but you can find means for replying; speaking with others and coming to realise that you are not alone in being preoccupied by these questions.
A theme workshop on stereotypes and prejudices
Pauline (France)
During my stay in Taizé, I took part in a workshop called « Stereotypes and prejudices… What to do with them? Reflection and practical exercises. »
I found it very interesting to hear what young people from other countries think of my own culture, and also to discover certain prejudices that we have about other countries. During the meeting, we heard different opinions and points of view, but we came to the following conclusion: if it is impossible not to have any stereotypes in your mind at all, it is above all a matter of trying to have as few as possible, and also of looking at the other person with empathy in order to understand his or her point of view.
An experience of Pentecost
During the period from Ascension to the week following Pentecost, nearly 8,000 people visited the hill of Taizé. Among those who came from very far away was a group of twenty priests from Hong Kong. But there were also young people and adults from Pakistan, New Zealand, USA and from Argentina. For many of them it was like an experience of Pentecost, which united all the participants “beyond frontiers of culture and language”.
Taizé: living an international openness day after day
Among the young adults in Taizé at the beginning of May, the most numerous are the Dutch and the Swedish. There have also been many groups of priests, often accompanied by their bishop, who have made their way to the hill, sometimes for only a few hours: from Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, among them the Archbishop of Seville. Taizé has also welcomed Protestant, Catholic and Old Catholic leaders from the churches in Geneva.
Finding a meaning in practical jobs
Soo Tian (Malaysia)
During my week in Taizé, I was given a job that consisted in looking after the place where women spend time in silent retreat. There were several of us in this work group, although most of them were looking after the house, whereas I took care of the garden.
In spite of my relative isolation, I found that this was an experience that was full of meaning. I could have felt very alone. But in fact I realised that I was an integral part of a bigger project… even without being in constant contact with the rest of my team. I also had the feeling that this situation was close to certain moments in my faith journey. I have had moments when I have felt alone; whereas I was - and I am always - a member of the community of believers that wishes to be a visible sign of the love of God for all humanity. Even the most solitary hermit in the desert belongs to the Body of Christ, and this appears to me to be a very comforting thought!
Taizé since Easter
For the week after Easter, 4,200 young adults came together in Taizé. During these last few days, one of the groups came from Shanghai. Along with representatives of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, the (Lutheran) Bishop of Oslo came to Taizé to prepare the meeting that will take place in Norway in September. The Bishop of Nanterre (France), Mgr Daucourt, led a theme workshop on faith in a secularised society.
As frequently happens, world events have had repercussions in the life in Taizé. The Polish plane disaster obviously provoked much sadness among the young people from Poland and Brother Alois immediately sent messages of solidarity to Poland and on two occasions during the prayer referred to this country that has come through so many trials in its history. As for the cloud provoked by the volcano eruption in Iceland, it upset many people’s travel plans. But it also made it possible for a young woman from Canada to cancel her departure and spend a week of silence!
Images of Holy Week in Taizé
These images were sent to us by three young people who were in Taizé at Easter: Enrico (Italy), Stefan (Germany) and Oskar (Norway).
April
Bearers of the Resurrection in our daily lives
Davide (Italy)
Just as Peter and John set off running when they heard the news Mary Magdalene announced to them, guided by a surprise that they could understand only with difficulty, so for us this is the time to set off for home with astonishment in our hearts: the simple intensity of these days, the strength of the prayers, the sense of the common life that involves all the young people.
We hope that the peace and the inner silence lived here at Taizé will help us be bearers of the Resurrection in our daily lives… so that with renewed vigour, like Mary, we can encounter the Lord without fear.
The openness and trust in the sharing groups
Maximilian (Germany)
The most striking experience of my stay in Taizé was the exchange in the small sharing group. I was very struck by the easiness with which we spoke with one another, about God and the Bible. Ten of us, who mostly did not know each other beforehand, discussed subjects that talk about at home only with our very closest friends! Here it is possible, because you can feel that the others have questions that are similar to your own. What impressed me most were the openness and the trust in the sharing with others. It was as if this openness and trust made it possible to overcome all the barriers.
The silence during the prayers
Karoline (Norway)
I am not used to silence, and I pray very little with others. I think that the rhythm of the life in Taizé was necessary for me, to enter into contact with what is important in my life, and I am surprised at the speed with which all this seemed natural for me. It took only two days for me to relax during the times of silence and let my thoughts come. I was here for a week. On the third day many important questions came to mind during the prayer. The next two days I was able to sort them out, and to think of ways of responding in my daily life. Finally, the fact that the brothers were open to listen to me and my questions helped me very much. I came away relieved, and eager to search for even more replies.
Five minutes of silence on Good Friday
Michael (Germany)
Friday, three o’clock. A bell rings and I stop. The people around me fall silent and come to a stop too. More and more people stop speaking, or working or moving around. One of the brothers comes out of the big tent where people are being welcomed and stands there in silence.
We are all remembering the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross.
Five minutes of silence in the midst of a full day, made up of sharing, laughter, music, work, and daily activities.
Then the bell stops ringing, and there are a few more moments of silence, before everything starts again… but with a strong sense of communion, created by these five minutes of shared silence and prayer. A pause on our way towards Easter.
A first Holy Week in Taizé
Sigrid (Denmark)
After arriving on the hill on Palm Sunday, I am spending Holy Week in Taizé for the first time. Each day is quite impressive! Like the nature all around us, which is beginning to transform itself after the cold of winter, we are preparing our hearts to let themselves be transformed by the light of the Resurrection.
In the church, the times of prayer are marked by a very beautiful liturgy. Each day, we hear an account of the Passion and we sing the words of Jesus before his death. It became clear to me that Christ did not only ask his disciples to watch and pray with him, but right up to today, he calls us to solidarity.
Celebrating the movement towards Easter with Christians from different Churches and from all parts of the world reminds me that the joy of the resurrection is for each one of us. And even after this week is over, if we allow this light to remain in us, we will be able to communicate it to others through the love that show to one another.
March
During the month of March, we look towards Holy Week, with its “going up” to Easter that marks the liturgy and the meetings so intensely every year. This year, the young people gathered at Taizé for Easter will be particularly united with all the Christians of the world for they will be celebrating Easter on the same date, everywhere, Orthodox, Catholics and Protestants.
Less than two weeks from the celebration, the final preparations are under way. As spring begins, the big tents appear like the daffodils in the fields. Electric cables have been installed to bring light to the end of the camping site. The big kitchen has opened its doors again after the winter and food deliveries have begun. In the Church of Reconciliation, it will soon be time to open the different extensions of the building – in winter, the oldest part of the building is sufficient for the brothers and all the visitors.
Among these visitors, there have been a certain number of priests, sometimes accompanied by their bishops, on pilgrimage in the region. It is true that in this year of prayer for vocations, Taizé provides an ideal pilgrimage “station”, not far from several spiritual landmarks: Ars, Paray-le-Monial, Cîteaux, Cluny. Among such visitors were Cardinal Caffarra from Bologna, the bishops of Tarragona and Lleida in Spain, and of Adria-Rovigo in Italy. Among the young people, there were some who were preparing for confirmation in the Reformed Church in the French speaking part of Switzerland and evangelical students from “Trinity University” in Chicago.
On the way to Easter
The season of Lent is a very special time for turning towards God, in the joyful waiting for Easter. In Taizé, the liturgy expresses this waiting through the sung introductions at the beginning of each prayer, through the responses and hymns of the season, and through the readings of the Word of God.
But the waiting is also visible on a quite material level. Registrations for the meetings at Easter are flowing in, and each one has to be replied to. From the point of view of logistics, the preparation is being done well upstream! The volunteers and all those who are here for the week are hard at work putting up tents and marquees.
Among those who came recently, we noted the presence of a large group of young adults from Lyon, who were joined for the end of their stay by their archbishop, Cardinal Barbarin. There was also a group of young American Protestants, as well as individual visitors from Japan, Sweden, Australia and from Mexico. Two groups of Italian priests, from Brescia and from San Giovanni Rotondo, spent several hours in Taizé with their bishops. From Poland, a group of adolescents from problem families and who are living in care hostels were given a special welcome.
We were all listening, with sincere interest
Rainar (Estonia)
It is two years since I was last in Taizé and once again I am surprised to see just how simple it is here to open your heart. There were ten of us sitting outside, in the end of the winter sunshine. We were discussing the “Letter from China”, with examples from our daily lives at home. I suddenly realised how much the others were speaking without pretension about what they were thinking and how they lived. And even more important, we were all listening, with sincere interest. Now that I am back home, I am trying to maintain that joy and spirit of openness wherever I go. In everything I do, I would like to communicate to those I meet something of that beauty of life: what I received, I want to share in my turn.
February
“Many initiatives of sharing are within our grasp”
Adri (Argentina)
This week, five of us from South America had the opportunity of presenting a theme workshop. It was a most enriching experience that enabled us to communicate to the young Europeans something of our Latin American reality. It was a time for sharing our activities in the church and in society, and to give examples illustrating the sentence in the “Letter from China”: “many initiatives of sharing are within our grasp”. As young adults, who are studying or working, God has enabled us to live also a missionary vocation, either in the villages in the countryside, or in working with children and young people, or in helping the homeless in our cities.
February, Taizé in the snow
Like many other places in Europe and beyond, the beginning of February was marked by cold and snow. And since in some countries there are high school vacations at this time of year, the numbers of people in Taizé are well up in comparison with January, with up to 750 people welcomed. With numbers like these, the meal distribution could only be done outside, in the snow…. But thankfully everybody could find a warm place to sit down and eat.
That is how Lent began. For Ash Wednesday, Brother Alois and other brothers had just returned from the meetings in Manila and Porto. Apart from the numerous high school students from France, especially from the South, there were also groups from Germany and the USA, pastors from Switzerland and several places in France, and fifty young Protestants from Korea. Many priests from Italy and Latin America spent several hours in Taizé, as did seminarians from Prague.
Serving others
Claudio (Chile)
"Usually, you think of the barriers that separate us from people who come from elsewhere. It is true, there are many of them: language, culture, or the way of relating to others. For two weeks, I took part, as a volunteer, in looking after the place where the young people come together to share meals and meet one another during their stay in Taizé. Thanks to this work, I realised that beyond the barriers that separate us, when we help one another, these obstacles are overcome. For me it was a real joy to see how the young people responded and were ready to help when we asked them: for the food distribution and for the clearing up and cleaning. I thank God for giving us such a richness, and enabling us to respect each other like brothers and sisters.”
January
Like every year, following the European meeting in Poznań, the rhythm of the meetings in Taizé was slower than usual. For the brothers, this is above all the time for the yearly council of the community: five days of prayer, sharing and reflection. During the final prayer of the council, Brother Alois asked for the reading of the message received from Richard, a young person in Haiti who was a volunteer in Taizé in 2006.
Taking advantage of this calm period, the volunteers had a week of reflection centred on the Bible texts linked to the “Letter from China”. For the Week of prayer for the unity of Christians, leaders of different Christian denominations, as well as friends from the region, came to Taizé for a time of prayer together.
Among those who came were groups from Belgium, the Czech Republic, and from Poland, including fifty priests from Szczecin. There were also young people from the USA, Argentina, Canada, South Africa, Scandinavia, as well as two pastors from Korea and two bishops from Argentina. At mid January, several hundred leaders of the Scouts of France organised their “faith assembly” at Taizé.
Finally, for the Feast of the Presentation, two discreet turtle doves were placed in the choir of the church, just beside the icon representing the meeting of Simeon with the child Jesus (Luke 2, 22-35).
Scouts and guides of France at Taizé
Pierre-Yves (France)
“The Scouts and Guides of France held their faith assembly on January 16-17 at Taizé. It was a very powerful moment for our movement, a weekend in which faith was really at the heart of every encounter, of every moment we spent together. The faith of adults and the faith of young people – it is often easy to distinguish them – were in communion on the hill. For the first time the turnout was very high, more than 600 participants, three times the number in 2008. For the first time, many young people came (over 150 of them) to the assembly, which is usually a little dusty and does not hold much interest for them. For the first time, many Scout leaders came to this hill so familiar to young people, and discovered this motive-force of the faith of young French people today. For the first time, fellowship between generations – often desired but not so often experienced – was experienced in the movement. For the first time, and hopefully not the last!”