taizé community

We recently visitied Taizé and Paray-le- Monial. These are two great centre of prayer which many Irish people travel from Ireland to visit. So we decided we should also visit themTaizé is a small village in a remote area up in the hills south west of Chalon. Bro Rodgers Schutz, a Swiss theologian founded an ecumenical centre there in 1940 in the middle of the Second World War. He picked this location as his mother who was French came from the area and it was in the then Free French Zone (part of France that the Nazis allowed the French to run themselves for three years).He founded a community where Christians could come before the same God and live in peace and love. (Set up against the backdrop of the Second World War) Today it’s a large centre of prayer which attracts many young people to come to visit and pray. You can see that it developed over time and maybe as money became available as, except for the large church building, all the other buildings are low level timber framed structures spread ove r a large area. Taizé is a Christian ecumenical centre which attracts Catholics, Protestants and Anglicans but is seems quite closely aligned to the Catholic Church. (I had a look at the bible used in the church and it was an American Catholic authorised version) Taizé masses are now celebrated throughout the world. It is ironic that Bro Roger at 90 was killed at a service on 16th August 2005 in a knife attack by a disturbed young woman.We arrived in Taizé as planned in time for midday prayers at 12.30 pm. It was a very simple ceremony with songs, some prayers and 10 minutes meditation. The prayer service was moving and was conducted in three languages French, English and German. There were about 40 Taizé Brothers and around 100 people, mostly young, present. A lot, considering it is wintertime.We then drove on to Paray-le- Monial, stopping on the roadside for lunch. Paray-le- Monial is a holy town where devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus started as Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque a Visitation nun saw visions of the Heart of Jesus on the wall of the Convent Church between 1673 and 1676. In 1920 Margaret Mary was made a Saint. People have being coming on pilgrimage to Paray –le-Monial since the 1800’s. Pope John Paul 11 visited in 1986. The body of Margaret is preserved in a glass fronted coffin in the small convent church and people come here daily to pray to her.The town itself is well set up to cater for many tourists and is very pretty. As it was December, there were few people around.us.We enjoyed our visit to both centres.“Adrian & Nuala are on a mature Gap Year in France. You can see more about their adventures on www.adrianandnualagapyear.com”

I've been to Taize three times. The first two times I went with a large group of friends in the UK University Week. This year, I went alone and for a month. Even though I was terrified at going abroad alone for the first time, my third visit was by far my favourite - staying for five weeks as a 'Permanent' is a completely different experience - but I would definitely recommend going to anyone who is even slightly considering it! I wasn't sure before the first time I went, but I ended up loving it and regularly get homesick for the way of life there!At Taizé, the main feature of your day is the prayers. You pray with the brothers and people from all over the world 3 times a day. The songs are mostly short Bible texts set to music and repeated, and there's a 7-15 minute silence in the middle for prayer and reflection. It truly is such a peaceful, holy time. In between the prayers, you have your 'work' - which is essentially you paying for your stay by doing some chores! You will be on a team washing up, collecting rubbish, serving food, holding silence signs - almost anything! I've made some great friends on these teams, who I still contact regularly - great friendships are creating over water fights and teaching S Club 7 songs to Germans! The other major thing between prayers is your Bible Introduction. A brother will introduce the Bible text for the day (usually a gospel or Acts) for about half an hour, then you split off into small groups of 6-10 to discuss it! Often you stay together after you finish to play various games and this results in good friendships too. In my first year, my discussion group was made up of people from Germany, Sweden, Iceland, the USA, Burundi, Switzerland and the UK (me). It's so interesting to see peoples opinions from all over the globe and hear their experiences.The food and accommodation at Taizé is basic. When you pay around €50-60 donation for the whole week, you should expect it to be! Accommodation is mostly tents, but I always preferred 'Barracks' which are dorms of 2-8. They're just slightly warmer and better if it rains! I recommend bringing your own pillow and a sleeping bag though, even in barracks! The food is also basic, and works on a weekly rotation. Sundays is always pasta with peppers and a vinegary sauce on Sunday evening for example. But you can expect lentils, instant mash and fish fingers, pasta and cous cous to come up at various points! Everything comes with bread, fruit and a 'cookie' (Taizé English for any kind of biscuit/cake dessert). The highlight for me was breakfast. Fresh French bread with two sticks of chocolate (make-your-own pain au chocolat) and a bowl of hot chocolate.Taizé is mostly visited by 17-29s, but they have special arrangements for families and over 30s too, so just email them! The brothers are really lovely, and I've never heard a bad word said about any of them by anyone!

In Taize community can all the visitors feel something another. The atmosphere here is majestic and from the all people emanate the good and positiv energy. Everybody here are part of the big family big community and they are living the big family life. Everybody is participant of daily vorks, everybody has the time for contemplation, take apart of the mass or valuable lectures. Everybody can take the fresh air and new minds here. It is realy greate to be here, if you will rise your character.

Last summer I came there for the 10th time. Since I was little I spent my summer there and I love it more and more. I met there people from all over the world. It is so nice to see each others cultures and see how we look the same.

I made pilgrimage to Taize in August of 2012. It was hot. Probably over 3,000 people were there; yet, I was just about the only representative from the USA. While many camp, I was in one of the on campus dorm rooms. The dorm rooms accommodate 2 to 4 to 6, depending on the size of the room. Due to an usual set of circumstances involving two CPAP machines and blow fuses, I had a small dorm room to myself.It was August in Burgundy and it was rather warm, even hot in the afternoons. Established plum bushes mark some of the borders of the campus. By August, the plum fruit is ripe and ready for the picking. The ripe plums make for a good on-the-go snack, just look into the shrub and pick your snack.The food is simple, in keeping with the spirit of pilgrimage. While most of those in attendance were young people, older folks & families were also there. I had my meals with the older folks in a large open tent with a view of the camping area and of the rolling hillside. By Thursday I was ready for a good meal. A lady from England suggested an afternoon trip to nearby Clunny. This was easily done as the bus stops right by the entry gate to Taize. I did enjoy my time at Taize but that afternoon in Clunny with a good meal was well appreciated.I was traveling alone. I needed to find fellow English speakers to hang out with. At first, I followed a group of lovely Swedish ladies around. Their English was excellent but they would soon lapse back into their native language. Finally, I found a group from the UK. Although England & the US have been described by two countries divided by a common language (Churchill?), we were able to communicate with each other. At last, a group to call my own while I was there.The Taize services are three times a day in a large, simple church. I could see no drop in attendance for the morning service. I feel sure the young folks stayed up late but they managed to get to all the services. The services included scripture reading in several different languages, quiet time for prayer and contemplation and lots of Taize chant. The number for the next song would appear on an electronic board and the singing would begin immediately. We took communion during the morning service.It was hot, it took me a few days to find my niche, the food is plain, the church is simple...but, the community church experience of singing the Taize chants is strong, compelling and beautiful. I want to return.

If you look for peace, specially if you are a Christian this place will give a powerful experience of a week retreat lived in the Spirit. You will enjoy the chanting, the ceremonies, the wonderful and joyous people and the beautiful surroundings.

I have been to Taize 5 times, and every time I go, it gets better. When I go to Taize, I know I will get time to myself to think and pray, which happens so rarely at home. I have made lifelong friends at Taize from home and across Europe. To me, Taize is the best place on earth. Yes, the food isn't haute cuisine and the showers are not spotlessly clean but that is not why people go to Taize. It is the amazing time that you know you will have which brings you back. Everyone should go to Taize

Be sure to visit if you attended any of their events in Europe - they have common prayers each day and you will be able to resurrect this spiritual feeling you have had at the youth meetings. They do have a lot of people most of the time, at least during the summer, so if you are looking to discuss the christian faith and/or meet and talk with the young people from all over Europe and world - come along.

Taize is what can only be described to me a second home, every time I return itis like going home. I love the prayer, the rhythm of taize life, taize breakfast, the people you meet, the bible study in fact there are to many things I love about taize. Hoping to go back again next year for another spiritual refill. It's been too long

I'm going there for the fourth time this year. Why? Cause it simply is the best place I know. The people, the environment, the surroundings, the church, the meetings; you're just filled with this happiness, and sometimes you don't even know why. It's just incredibly beautiful.

... so you can imagine! The first time you are in Taizé you don't know very well what you will find... but you are mistically trapped by the sharing experience, the smiles eveybody gives you, no matter where you come from, no matter where they come from. It is such a small miracle and you have to reurn once and again.I have been to Taizé 6 times as a "youngster" and have returned twice with the family. The magic of praying, singing and sharing is still there. As the Italian member said, give it a try and comment!

Je ne sais pas quoi vous dire... Taizé c'est pour les vieux concrètement. L'endroit est sympa mais c'est tout. Les messes chaque matins midis et soirs c'est ennuyant. Les logements sont sales et tres médiocre, pas de prises électriques. Venons aux toilettes et douches communes. Mon dieu je ne serai vous expliquer a quel point c'est aberrant. C'est sans arret humide et sale. Des cheveux partout dans les douches. Nul part pour poser ses affaires quand on va a la douche. Quant a la cantine nous n'avons pas de couvert au petit déjeuner et n'avons rien qu'un petit pain du chocolat chaud/thé et du beurre. Attention miracle au déjeuner et dîner il y a quand meme une cuillere a soupe! Enfin bref j'ai passé le pire week end qu'il y ai pu avoir. JE DÉCONSEILLE!!!!!!!!

Спасибо за прием! Мне было интересно узнать о вашей организации и посмотреть на нее изнутри. Поселение находится в очень красвой деревне, пасутся коровки, красивые закаты, и тп. Находясь в тезе вы подписываетесь под договором публичной оферты, на условиях которой ваш мозг на неделю принадлежит организации. В тезе царит атмосфера корпорации дружбы и добра, единства всех рас и вероисповеданий. Наблюдать за этим интересно и познавательно ...если не долго. Кормят больше духовной пищей чем сьестной, мы кушали в соседнем городке. Если будете пасовать молитвы (обсуждения), вас вызовут в лямораду (местный админ суд), если будете нести вино - несите сразу в лямораду и т.д. Тезе - это не пионер лагерь, и это нужно понимать еще до приезда. Для гостей из не стран ЕС, особенно украинцев, русских, белорусов, Тезе - это часто просто виза а не путь к Богу, поэтому большой брат следит за вами особенно пристально и не напрасно, часто это даже оправдано. Есть вероятность, что вам там понравится, в нашй группе это было 1 человек к 30-ти. Не судите строго, но организация показалась мне более непонятной чем я себе мог ее представить...

Bin fast jedes Jahr in taizé... Ein Ort wie der Himmel auf Erden. Eins der 3 Dinge, die man im Leben gesehen haben muss.

A 50 kms à la ronde, des panneaux de signalisation indiquent la direction de ce petit village qui ne paie pas de mine, probablement méconnu de beaucoup, mais qui a cependant une renommée universelle auprès de dizaines de milliers de jeunes chrétiens du monde entier, en quête pour quelques heures, quelques jours ou quelques semaines, d'une retraite spirituelle au sein d'une communauté religieuse.Il suffit de faire un tour sur le site web qui propose l'accès en 32 langues différentes pour être convaincu que ce que je raconte n'est pas une affabulation, car que vous soyez très croyant ou comme moi plutôt toujours dans l'expectative d'une bonne crise de foi, si vous êtes dans le coin, il faut absolument faire une boucle par Taizé, ne serait-ce que par pure curiosité.En arrivant, impossible de ne pas penser à Maxime Le Forestier, San-Fransisco et sa maison bleue tant l'ambiance qui y règne évoque immanquablement les Seventies, l'esprit baba-cool, le Flower Power ou Woodstock, à la différence près qu'au lieu du Peace and Love ici c'est plutôt Peace and Lord, que l'on y prône, l'amour étant (théoriquement) nettement moins charnel et beaucoup plus spirituel que celui clamé en 1968.Créée en 1940 par le Frère Roger ; la vocation de la communauté de Taizé a été dès l'origine de rassembler les jeunes de différents courants chrétiens autour d'axes de réflexions sur la foi, et la formule a sacrément bien marché puisque ce sont aujourd'hui des milliers jeunes des quatre coins du monde et des cinq continents qui s'y pressent chaque année avec même en point d'orgue la visite de Jean-Paul II himself en 1986.Pour le décor, il faut imaginer un tout petit bled planté en haut d'une colline au milieu de nulle part, en rase campagne, avec de grands prés tout autour. Les pèlerins y arrivent surtout en auto-stop, attelés de gros sacs à dos, et dès leur arrivée, ils peuvent planter leurs tentes individuelles ou poser leurs sacs de couchage sous d'énormes tentures collectives.La cuisine elle aussi est collective, on prend sa gamelle et ses couvert en plastique et on s'installe autour de grandes tablées, le soir c'est ambiance feu de bois, chants et guitares à la belle étoile ou prières une bougie à la main dans cette drôle et grande église moderne bizarre qui peut s'ouvrir pour recevoir une foule impressionnante.Les frères qui ont succédé au frère Roger entretiennent aujourd'hui l'indépendance financière de Taizé en se suffisant à eux même au travers de l'artisanat, la vente de souvenirs et livres religieux. Rien de sectaire donc dans cet étrange village peuplé de nomades, même si l'on peut toutefois être surpris qu'une telle concentration d'apparente sage jeunesse, soit aussi fervente et passionnée de méditation.