The Community

The Taizé Community comprises of around eighty brothers from different church backgrounds – Catholic, Anglican, Protestant – and from nearly thirty countries. By its very existence, it is a “parable of community”: a tangible sign of reconciliation between divided Christians and separated peoples.

Throughout the year, the community welcomes tens of thousands of young adults from Europe and other continents. They come for week-long meetings, during which they experience prayer and life together with time for biblical reflection and sharings, in an environment where they can ask questions about their lives and their future.

Most of the brothers live in the village of Taizé, in Burgundy, France. Other brothers, who have been sent on mission, share the living conditions of those around them in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the outskirts of Paris. These small fraternities of a few brothers are a simple presence among their neighbours and in the local churches. By their very nature they remain temporary.

History

1940

Atthe outbreak of the Second World War, Roger Schutz-Marsauche, the25-year-old son of a Reformed pastor, leaves Switzerland to helppeople in difficult situations in France. In Taizé, near thedemarcation line that cut the country in two, he welcomes refugees,particularly Jews, fleeing the war. At the same time, he develops theproject of creating a community, conceived by him during a longperiod of pulmonary tuberculosis.

2024

Afraternity of brothers for six weeks in Ukraine. Young adult Europeanmeeting in Tallinn, Estonia.

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Becoming a brother

The new brothers

Community life is learned by living it. At Taizé, it begins with a few months of voluntary work during the meetings, then comes the moment to move into the brothers’ house and receive the prayer robe. From that moment on, a new brother shares prayer, work, meals, services, times of sharing and moments of relaxation with all his brothers. To get into the dynamic of community life, the new brothers and the brother who leads their group meet regularly for meals, times of reflection and sharing, services and outings. Each new brother is also accompanied individually by another brother.

A lifelong commitment

After a time of preparation, a new brother in the community makes his lifelong commitment. Here are the words used to express this commitment. Beloved brother, what are you asking for? The mercy of God and the community of my brothers. May God complete in you what he has begun. Brother, you trust in God’s mercy: remember that the Lord Christ comes to help your humble faith and that committing himself with you, he fulfils for you his promise: Truly, there is no one who has left everything because of Christ and the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times as much at present – brothers and sisters and mothers and children – and persecutions too, and in the age to come eternal life.

The fraternities

Taizé brothers are present for a time in small communities or “fraternities” in other parts of the world: Asia, Africa, Latin America and a district of the Paris suburbs.

These fraternities do not seek to create large institutions, but rather to be present in a simple way in the midst of others. The brothers live a life of prayer and service, taking part in the life of the local communities. In many cases they work in disadvantaged neighborhoods, collaborate on social projects or accompany young people in vulnerable situations, always seeking to promote peace, justice and communion.

Servant of communion

The prior

  

“Placed at the heart of the community, the Servant of communion seeks to make his brothers attentive to living a parable of communion all together. With his brothers, he seeks to understand the will of God’s love. Discernment, the spirit of mercy and an inexhaustible goodness of heart are irreplaceable gifts for him.” (The Sources of Taizé)

Brother Matthew
Prior since 2023
Brother Matthew

A passion for unity

By bringing together brothers from a wide variety of ecclesial, cultural and geographical backgrounds, the community's vocation is to be a sign of unity in the Church and in the human family. “Never resign yourself to the scandal of the separation of Christians who so readily profess love for their neighbour and yet remain divided. Make the unity of the Body of Christ your passionate concern” (Rule of Taizé). Before arriving at Taizé in 1940, the young student who would become Brother Roger took part in the first large ecumenical assembly of young people which, in 1939, brought together in Amsterdam 1500 delegates from 70 countries. From the community’s beginning, brothers contributed to ecumenical theological reflection, notably in the “Groupe des Dombes” for French-speaking countries and “Faith and Order” on an international level. In 1960, to support the preparation of the Second Vati

The brothers' work

“Our vocation as community has committed us to live solely from our work, accepting neither donations nor bequests nor gifts – nothing, absolutely nothing. The boldness involved in not ensuring any capital for ourselves, without fear of possible poverty, is a source of incalculable strength.”

The brothers’ work