Taizé

Prayers

webadmin — 2025-07-28T09:00:00Z

Regular prayers

There are many regular prayers in the UK which started by contact with Taizé. The ones on this list are only a selection: those prayers with which the community remains more closely in touch through personal contact.

Aberdeen

Every Wednesday, 7:30 pm; St John's Church, St John's Place (off Crown Street); Tony Broderick, 07828821869, tonybroderick gmail.com

Birmingham

3rd Sunday of month 6:00 pm, prayer in a church (moving around the city). Helen and Peter Woodall, phpaw2 btinternet.com.

Brighton

Every Monday (except in August, and Bank Holiday Mondays), 6:30 pm, 119d Hollingdean Terrace, BN1 7HB. Hannah Bywaters hbywaters yahoo.com


Prayer in the Bridge Chapel, Derby

Cambridge

Thursdays, 6.15pm, in university term time; Fisher House (Catholic Chaplaincy), Songyuan Zhao sz311 cam.ac.uk

Chagford (Devon)

3rd Sunday of every month at 6 pm by candlelight, St Michael the Archangel, Chagford, Devon.TQ13 8BN. Clare Pargeter via email at clarepargeter yahoo.co.uk, 01647 279288

Exeter

Bi-monthly, 7:00 pm, St Pancras Church, Guildhall Shopping Centre, EX4 3AT. Nigel Walsh nigel ncw.eclipse.co.uk


Prayer in Edinburgh

Glasgow

once a month during term-time, Memorial Chapel, Glasgow University, with the Chapel choir. For details see www.chapelchoir.org/services-and-ev..., or contact chaplaincy glasgow.ac.uk.

Leicester

Monthly prayers on Sunday evenings in Markfield. Karen Silverwood karensilverwood googlemail.com.

London

1st Sunday of the month, 7:00 pm; Wesley's Chapel & Leysian Mission, 49 City Road, EC1Y 1AU; Steven Cooper, steven.cooper methodist.org.uk, www.wesleyschapel.org.uk

3rd Friday of the month, St Mary's Church Putney, 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm; Putney High St, SW15 1SN, Clare Harbin, clarebwharbin gmail.com, https://stmarys.parishofputney.com

Heath Street Baptist Church, 84 Heath Street, Hampstead, NW3 1DN;
https://heathstreet.org/activities/...

Every Wednesday, 6:00 pm; All Hallows by the Tower, Byward Street, London EC3R 5BJ; tube: Tower Hill; parish ahbtt.org.uk

Every Wednesday and Friday, 8:00-8:30 am:
St Mary Aldermary Watling Street EC4M 9BW (tube: Bank/Mansion House/St Paul's); Paul Kennedy, priest moot.uk.net

Second Sunday of the month, 6.30pm, with song practice at 5.15pm.
St Leonard's Church, Tooting Bec Gardens, Streatham, SW16 1HS
Contact: Julie McCann jpmccann106 gmail.com
https://stleonard-streatham.org.uk/


Morning prayer, St. Mary Aldermary

Last Wednesday of month (usually: check dates on web page below), 7:30 pm; Sisters of St Andrew, 99 Belmont Hill, Lewisham, SE13 5DY; nearest station: Blackheath; 0208 852 1662; https://sisters-of-st-andrew.com/me...

3rd Sunday of month, 5:00 pm; St James's Piccadilly, 197 Piccadilly, W1J 9LL; Graham Sharpe, grahamtsharpe hotmail.co.uk

Last Saturday of the month, 7:15 pm; Notre Dame de France Church, 5 Leicester Place, WC2H 7BX; see church website Anne-Marie Salgo, info ndfchurch.org

Oxford

2nd Sunday of the month, 6.30 pm; St Clement's Church, Marston Rd, Oxford OX4 1FN. parish.office stclements.org.uk, https://www.stclements.org.uk/


Prayer in Broomhill Methodist Church, Sheffield

Sheffield

3rd Sunday of month, 7:00 pm; St Mark's Church, Broomfield Road, S10 2SE; On Facebook, Mark Ansell markansell85 hotmail.com

Tetbury (Glos.)

2nd Thursday of month, 8:00 pm (7:40 pm song practice) in one of the 3 churches; Robin and Sue Ingall: 01666 503180, cringall btinternet.com

Winchester

Last Sunday of month (usually) 6 pm (Check service listings on the Cathedral website.); Sue Foster suemfoster01 gmail.com

Initial Practical Information

Benoît — 2025-06-02T08:51:00Z

At the end of 2025, the next stage of the pilgrimage of trust on earth animated by the ecumenical community of Taizé will take place in Paris and throughout the Île-de-France region. At the invitation of local Churches of different denominations, thousands of young people from across Europe aged 18 to 35 will come together for prayer and sharing, in a spirit of celebration and friendship. We look forward to welcoming you!

An event of unity for young adults from across Europe

● The meetings is for young adults between 18 and 35 years old. Group leaders may be older.

● As many participants as possible will be hosted by local residents. This search for accommodations will be handled by the Christian communities of Paris and the surrounding region.

Dates

● Arrival: Sunday morning, December 28, 2025
● Departure: Thursday afternoon, January 1, 2026.

Arrival on December 26

We need some volunteers to come two days early.

□ Do you play an instrument or sing in a choir?
□ Can you help in a service team (meal distribution, cleaning, preparation of prayer areas, transport, workshops, etc.) or support a local community in welcoming people, organising prayers and the morning programme?

Outline of the program

□ Each day there will be times of prayer together and small-group sharing.

□ In the mornings, participants will discover local initiatives and meet witnesses to hope.

□ Midday prayers will be held in the large churches of Paris.

□ In the afternoon, workshops on many different topics will be offered.

□ Evening prayers will bring all the participants together in a large space in the centre of the city.

Registration

● It will be possible to register as a volunteer upon arrival starting on December 26. The contribution to the costs will be the same as for the participants.

● Registration is through the Taizé website beginning in Summer 2025.

More details — programme, cost, registration, etc. will be published during the summer months

Weekend Meeting in Osnabrück (Germany) 10-12 October 2025

Paolo — 2025-05-25T14:39:40Z

Following the invitation of br. Matthew in the Letter for 2025, "Hope beyond all Hope" to become pilgrims of peace and pilgrims of hope, an interntional, ecumenical meeting of young people aged 18-35 will be held in Osnabrück (Germany) for the 10-12 October 2025.


Osnabrück

The city of Osnabrück is historically known as the City of Peace, so where better to reflect on how to become peacemakers and pray for peace in so many places in this world? A verse from the Sermon on the Mount will be the motto of this meeting: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Mt 5, 9). The program of the meeting will consist of common prayers, meals, sharing in small groups and workshops. The participants will be accommodated in host families and participants from other countries are especially invited.

All further information and registration: https://linktr.ee/taizeosna

Provisional Programme

The common prayers will take place in St. Katharinen in the city centre of Osnabrück.

Friday, 10.10.
15.00 - 17.30: Welcome of participants
17.30: Evening meal
19.30: Evening prayer - prayer around the cross

Saturday, 11.10.
Breakfast in the host families
9.00: Morning prayer
10.00: Bible introduction, sharing in small groups
12.00: Midday prayer
12.45: Lunch
15.00: Different workshops
17.30: Evening meal
19.30: Evening prayer - with the light of the resurrection
After the evening prayer: festival of nations in the host parishes

Sunday, 12.10.
Breakfast in the host families
Participation in the services in the different host parishes
12.00: Small snack and possibility to say goodbye in the city centre
Departure of participants


Dom St. Peter

From Tallinn to Paris, Pilgrims of Hope and Peace

John — 2025-04-10T14:00:24Z

On December 30, 2024, in Tallinn, Estonia, Brother Matthew, prior of the Taizé ecumenical community, announced the location of the next European meeting: it will take place in Paris and the entire Île-de-France region, from December 28, 2025 to January 1, 2026.

[1]

At the invitation of Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris and all the Catholic bishops of the Paris province, Protestant and Orthodox leaders at the national and regional level have joined forces.

The three co-presidents of the French Council of Christian Churches, Bishop Éric de Moulins-Beaufort, Pastor Christian Krieger and Metropolitan Dimitrios, have signed a joint press release.

Over the past few months, the Taizé brothers have also been visiting local government officials and civil authorities, including Paris City Hall and the Île-de-France region, whose support will be vital to the success of the event. The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has recorded a video message, and others will follow over the coming weeks.

The direct announcement

The announcement of the Paris meeting was made on Monday at the end of the evening prayer, broadcast live on the Taizé YouTube channel.

Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris, who was present in Tallinn for the entire meeting, took the floor in the Arena Tondiraba to invite the young people to Paris in one year's time.

Press conference replayed

The announcement of the forthcoming European meeting was made under embargo at a press conference on Monday December 30 at the Consistory of the Estonian Lutheran Church. The video is available on request.

Press contact

media taize.fr

Press release | Monday décembre 30, 2024

[1] Photo : Taizé Media Team / Filip Škrlep

2023 Visits and gatherings in Australia

Thomas — 2025-02-19T08:30:00Z

On this page, we give news of prayers, meetings and gatherings in Australia in connection with the Pilgrimage of Trust on Earth. Please check from time to time for any updates!

A Taizé brother will be travelling in Australia in March and April 2025.
Below is a list of dates for prayers and gatherings:

QLD

Sunday, 9 March 2025
6:00pm Gathering for Evening Prayer Holy Spirit Anglican Church, Kenmore 1036 Moggill Road, Kenmore QLD
Contact: The Reverend Deb Bird deborah.bird anglicanchurchsq.org.au

Tuesday, 11 March 2025
6:00pm Ecumenical Youth Gathering For those aged 18 – 30. West End Uniting Church
11 Sussex Street, West End QLD
Contact: Elissa Cotroneo elissa.cotroneo ministryeducation.org.au

Friday, 14 March 2025
6:00pm Gathering for Evening Prayer Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church
235 Riding Road, Balmoral QLD
Contact: The Reverend Canon Paul Mitchell paul.mitchell anglicanchurchsq.org.au

Saturday, 15 March 2025
4.00pm Gathering for Conversation on the 2025 Letter (Hope beyond all hope)
6:00pm Gathering for Evening Prayer
Both at St Mark's Anglican Church, Buderim 7-17 Main Street, Buderim QLD

Darwin - NT

Thursday 20th March
7pm: Taizé Service at St Pauls Catholic Church, Darwin
Pilgrims of Hope – praying for peace
Please bring a light supper to share

Friday 21st March
Nungalinya College - Chapel, meeting with students & staff

Saturday 22nd March
10am: ‘Meet and greet' - Frillys Café - Nightcliff Uniting Church
Enjoy a coffee/tea and cake and informal chat with Br Merric

Saturday 22nd March
2pm Workshop at Nightcliff Uniting Church
Life at Taizé
silence, prayer, music and scripture

Sunday 23rd March
10am: Taizé Service at Nightcliff Uniting Church
Theme: Simon helps carry the cross & Jesus speaks to the women
The service will be followed by morning tea

For more information, please contact
Rev Felicity Amery 0412575635 or Fr John Kelliher 0402850084

MELBOURNE, VIC

Friday, 28 March 2025
Taizé Lenten Evening Prayer around the Cross
St Benedict's Catholic Community, 283 Warrigal Rd, Burwood.
Singing practice at 6.30pm, all welcome.
Taizé evening prayer starts at 7pm, includes Prayer around the Cross.
Enjoy dinner nearby after the service

Sunday, 30 March 2025
Afternoon retreat and evening prayer in Eltham, 3pm-7:30pm at St Margaret's Anglican Church, 79-81 Pitt Street, Eltham.
(Evening prayer starts at 6:30pm if you can't make the full day)
A simple meal for dinner will be included.
Information for registration on the Taizé Melbourne facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tai...

Saturday, 5 April
Day retreat and evening prayer in the style of Taizé in Northcote
10am-8:30pm at Northcote Uniting Church, 251 High St, Northcote.
(Evening prayer starts at 7pm if you can't make the full day)
More information on the Taizé Melbourne facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tai...

Australia 2023: creation and visits

A Taizé brother recently visited his home country of Australia for a series of prayers, retreats and meetings. Here is his story.

With my last visit to Australia interrupted by the beginning of the Covid pandemic, it was such a joy for me to finally return.

The closure of the borders of Australia had made it all but impossible to visit these last few years. It was wonderful seeing the airports and cities buzzing again and life returning to the cities, towns, and churches.

Flying firstly into Sydney, I was greeted by the warm days of the end of the Australian summer as I arrived – a big adjustment from the chilly temperatures of the late winter in Europe! – and was grateful to be able to share the first days to recover from the jet lag of a very long flight with the Jesuits on the north shore of Sydney.

The first gathering was at a small and intimate prayer in the Uniting Church in Corrimal, a marvellous moment of peace with a lovely time of sharing afterwards to meet the congregation.

The next part of my journey moved to the south of Sydney to the Mount Carmel Retreat Center in Varoville where a very rich retreat was held on the weekend of the 3-5th of March.

This region is surrounded by the beauty of the Australian countryside, a delightful reflective space where God's creation is well and truly present.

Caring for God's creation was the theme for the retreat and this question is very close to the heart of many Australians. Years of drought followed by the last few years of flood have ravaged Australia and many people are asking, how do we protect the gift of creation that is right in front of us and how do we see God's creation for the miraculous gift that it is?

The first nations people of Australia knew how to live in harmony with it. Their faith was intrinsically linked to the environment that surrounded them across the vast differing landscapes of Australia. Do we have something we can learn from this link of caring for creation and faith?

On the 6th of March, I flew to Perth in the west of Australia where I was warmly welcomed by the Josephite sisters, founded by Australia's only canonized saint, St Mary MacKillop. During my time in Perth, there were many good meetings with staff and students in schools across the suburbs of the city.

On the Tuesday evening, a prayer was held in the Wesley Uniting Church in the city. The gifted musicians and a calm and peaceful moment of prayer, which was followed by good time of fellowship with the congregation.

Perhaps one of the highlights of my time in Perth was a morning visit to the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle where I shared a biblical reflection with some of the students. I also had the wonderful opportunity to speak with a young aboriginal student studying at the university, and what a joy it was to be able to share these moments.

My week in Perth finished with a typical Australian BBQ breakfast on the lawns of the sister's convent in south Perth, a fundraiser for the Mary MacKillop Foundation. Here I had the opportunity to meet some wonderful people from across Perth.

The last leg of my tour took me back to the other side of the continent to my hometown of Melbourne where I was warmly welcomed once again by the Jesuits. You get a sense that Melbourne suffered deeply during its 262 days of lockdown during the pandemic, and there is a need for people to find ways to re-engage and gather again.

The three prayers across the city were well attended and each one welcomed me warmly and enthusiastically. The preparations and work that was put into the prayers were magnificent, with musicians and song practices organised and each one beautifully prepared. It was wonderful to see familiar faces at each prayer along with many new faces and I am extremely grateful for each moment of this visit to Australia.

Becoming Creators of Unity - a pilgrimage in March 2022 in New South Wales and South Australia

During March 2022, a Taizé brother made a series of visits in New South Wales, using the theme of Brother Alois' proposals “Becoming Creators of Unity” as a basis for reflection in the different gatherings. Here he tells of his experiences.

At last, after having put back twice invitations to help with retreats in Dubbo and Varroville because of the pandemic, I was able to make the journey to Australia from Europe.

Flying into Dubbo, I shook my first hands for 2 years! A fine programme had been arranged with visits to different groups and churches – Catholic, Anglicans, Baptists – in the town. Meetings with several “retired” missionaries spoke of how active Christians from Australia have been in sharing the Gospel during the last century. And yet here, the sense of how much lay-people have a role to play in today's Church came across very strongly. Sharing fellowship around the Word of God, taking on responsibilities in chaplaincy and social work – all this was present.

The Saturday afternoon retreat was well attended with sharing on Jesus' prayer for the unity of his disciples in John 17 - “May they be one, as we are one so that the world may believe that you have sent me” - striking a chord with many. Praying around the cross allowed us to entrust people suffering from the weather events in NSW, as well as the victims of the war in Ukraine, to Christ.

Though few people in Dubbo have been to Taizé, they learned quickly the songs for prayer. It all goes to show that with a little preparation, great things can become possible!

Perhaps one of the most special moments of the pilgrimage came after this. Macquarie Correctional Centre, a high-security unit, is in Wellington, between Dubbo and Orange. Having received clearance and a negative RAT test, I joined the chaplain to meet and pray with some of the inmates. To listen to their stories was very moving. To worship with them was a grace. In such situations, you often worry – what can I do, what should I say? But in the end, without me being naive about the journey of each inmate, it's they who welcome you. You understand that there is a part of goodness that remains in every human being.

After a small, but very warm gathering in the Uniting Church at Orange, it was time to set out for Sydney. The weather was worsening though and the trip through the Blue Mountains quite an adventure. I finally made it to my destination in the Northern Beaches suburbs for evening prayer where a full church was waiting for me. In St Martin of Porres parish in Davidson, they have prayed faithfully with the songs from Taizé over many years. An open session of questions and answers before worship enabled me to share more about the life of the community and the youth meetings.

On Tuesday, I was blocked by the "rain bomb" as they say here. I got on the bus to go back to the city centre and after one stop the driver made everyone get off because the bridge that linked the northern suburbs with Sydney was flooded. The good people who had put me up the night before collected me and we tried to find another way but without success. The roads became really impassable, so we went home and I joined the evening prayer scheduled south of the city in Corrimal by Zoom.

Getting around then proved more difficult. You had to allow more time, landslides disrupt transport, but fortunately the rest of the week went well in different parts of the city – a wonderful gathering at St Aloysius School in Kirribilli, where the choir had been practicing Taizé songs for some time and a beautiful prayer in the Anglican parish of St Luke in Enmore – before I set off again for the Blue Mountains.

In Leura Uniting Church, a group gathers for worship using the songs from Taizé. Other congregtions came from different parts of the mountains, as we shared on the passage from Romans 8.22-27: Where do I sense the groaning of creation? What does it mean for us individually and as a community? People are tired after the pandemic, the bad weather, the worries of war.... Getting together to pray and share is a way of encouraging each other.

The new president of the NSW Ecumenical Council is a minister in Leura and we spoke about bringing a group of young people from different churches on a pilgrimage to Taizé. She understands that there is a need to renew many things in the way we seek visible unity.

The visit closed with at Mount Carmel Retreat Centre in Varroville. People of various ages came, but there was a good group of young adults, some of whom had been long term volunteers in Taizé in the past. One of them had just left the Ukraine. He had been teaching in Kiyev where his girlfriend lives. She was able to leave the country too, but her father and brothers had to stay.... He shared about his experiences there and once again we prayed around the Cross remembering the war in Ukraine, those seeking justice and peace from there and from Russia, and also those who suffered in Queensland and New South Wales from the floods of recent weeks. Saying out loud the names of people we knew affected by these different situations made everything more real. Personal contacts set us out on the road to “Becoming Creators of Unity”…..

A final conclusion came in Adelaide at the beginning of April. Groups of young adults from Brougham Place Uniting Church have visited Taizé twice over the past few years. Catching up with some of them and meeting new youth from different churches over supper was important. Listening to each other, sharing stories – yarning as they say in Australia – was important. The worship that followed brought together people from around the city and further afield, some of whom had visited Taizé already in the early 1970s. Unity between the generations also a path we shouldn't forget.

This phrase from “Becoming Creators of Unity”, struck me as particularly fitting as the pilgrimage drew to a close: “To find unity of heart, one path is always possible: turning our eyes to Christ Jesus, learning to know him more, entrusting our joys and troubles to him. Even in the midst of difficulties, even with very few certainties regarding the future, we can continue our journey step by step in this way, trusting that, through the Holy Spirit, the risen Christ is always with us.”

Pilgrimage of Trust in Australia: November 2018

For the second time in 2018, a Taizé brother was able to visit different parts of Australia. In November, gatherings took place in Tasmania, Victoria and the Northern Territory. Using Brother Alois' 2018 proposals “An inexhaustible joy” as a basis for the pilgrimage, here he shares something of what he experienced.

Arriving from the late autumn of Europe, I was expecting to find spring weather in Australia, but Tasmania had other ideas! The wind and rain however, couldn't mask the warmth of the welcome felt throughout the visits in the island state.

An immediate halt at the Emmaus monastic community, near Rhynaston offered shelter from the weather and I saw how much the community life has grown in the four years since my last visit. Then it was on to Evandale for an amazing evening of prayer and sharing. Two couples, one Anglican, the other Uniting Church, seeking community life settled in Evandale some years ago. Leah writes of their experience:

"Much of the time I suppose we take it for granted, every now and then we pause and look at the view, and realise it is special, it takes time and love and forgiveness…

What does it mean to live in community? Well there is a saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child'. For those of us raising children in this community one of the best things is it means having a rich network of friends/role models/confidantes for our kids, there for them when we can't be, or when our children need someone other than a parent to talk to. We love, care for and pray for each other's kids.

It means we have company in our joys and pains and illnesses. And at times when we might feel tempted to withdraw, community doesn't let us. It makes healthy claims on us. And brings encouragement.

On a practical level it means we can share lawnmowers and trailers and toys and books, being interdependent gives us a less materialistic way to live. It means we are committed to a diverse group of people which gives us frequent opportunities to look at things in different ways, have our priorities rearranged or challenged. It urges us to keep coming back to our common ground.

And looking outward, together we can serve our broader community in ways that would be beyond us as individuals, for example, hosting a monthly community film night, providing meals for the volunteer fire brigade when they were exhausted fighting bushfires, working together to organise a beautiful funeral for a friend who died, hosting a breakfast for penny farthing riders participating in the annual race event.”

That evening, we prayed together in the Anglican church. Around 15 young people came from a Pentecostal church in Launceston. It was wonderful to see how they enjoyed the songs from Taizé, silence and prayer around the cross.

A short visit to the Benedictine community of Notre Dame, taking part in their prayers in Latin of Sexte and None, and experiencing their warm table hospitality, provided a break on the drive back to Hobart where there was evening prayer at All Saints' parish church.

Flying across to Victoria, an evening prayer was held in St Kilian's Catholic church, Bendigo, a marvellous wooden building, together with the Youth Coordinator for Sandhurst diocese. And then the next day, there was a beautiful visit to Mountain District Christian School in the Dandenong Ranges. Some pupils from this school made the trip to Taizé over the past years thanks to one of the teachers. Showing the film about the community led to a lively and deep discussion with the year 12s.

A monthly prayer with songs from Taizé has been taking place already since several years at Trinity College, Melbourne. On the Friday evening of the Bourke Street attack, it was good to be together in prayer and silence, remembering what had happened a few hours before.

A full day retreat provided a good opportunity for young Melburnians who know Taizé, and others who were curious, to gather. Agatha tells the story:

“About thirty young people gathered in Carlton North at the Mercy Hub, a community space provided by the Sisters of Mercy. The day began with a prayer together. The Taizé brother then led a Bible discussion, looking at the reading from the morning prayer, the Beatitudes in Luke 6.17-26. We broke into groups and meditated on Brother Alois' notion of inexhaustible joy. What emerged from the small groups was learning with others on subjects such as wealth, advice and divisions.

Before lunch, we met for midday prayer. The light and acoustics of the space provided the setting for a peaceful, joyful time of worship.

The retreat group was then joined by two young people, Josh and Mimi, working for the Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum. They spoke to the group about hardships facing people seeking asylum in Australia, and the role of their organisation in lessening these. Following this, we watched the film on the life of Brother Roger. This enriched the knowledge of both old and newcomers to the heart of Taizé.

The spring weather allowed for a walk in the Edinburgh gardens nearby. Joining together again for dinner, we then prayed, sung and reflected at the Mercy Hub until after sunset. Thanks to all for once again making the journey all the way to Melbourne to share and delight in prayer and Christ's love.”

And then finally, it was on to Alice Springs for the last stage of the pilgrimage.

Olivia Rose tells of the evening prayer in Flynn Memorial Uniting church:
“Last week I attended the prayer with songs from Taizé with a brother from the community and members of local churches from around Alice Springs. Previous to that night, it had been a few quite stressful weeks at work and I hadn't given myself a chance to sit and reflect let alone given God much of my time. I'd heard at Mass the evening beforehand that this special Taizé service was being held and thought it would be a nice experience to attend.

Entering the church I felt instantly at ease. It was nearing night time and there were candles lit on the altar and a sense of peace in the room. After the brother introduced himself we sung a few chanted Taizé songs. It was so lovely just to close my eyes and feel at peace with God and to have the opportunity be with him without the distractions of life. We also read some readings and had time to sit in silence and meditate on what had been said. What I really enjoyed was the simplicity of the lines in the Taizé songs and the gentle repetition. It allowed me not to preoccupy myself wondering what the next line was but rather enjoy the hymn and use it to be still with God. “Be still and know that I am God” from Psalm 46:10 was really prevalent to me that night.

I left the church feeling like God had wrapped his arms around me and had absorbed all of my worries and stress. Spending the evening in Taizé prayer was a lovely reminder of how important spending that time in meditation with God is and gave me a good goal to work towards.”

And the following evening, sat around the fire at Campfire at the Heart, a retreat centre just outside the town, people shared about the unexpected joys of the past months, which point towards an inexhaustible joy. Both David and Steve spoke about a visit we made to Ltyentye Apurte Community (also known as Santa Teresa), an Arrernte indigenous community 80km north of Alice. The women were painting crosses with traditional designs in the parish workshop. Someone said, go up to the big tree behind the church and you'll see the youngfellas making wonderful things. And so we did. And we saw the youngfellas crafting tools and instruments using the skills that their grandfathers had taught them. Joy was on their faces as they showed us their work. Inexhaustible joy is catchy.

Pilgrimage of Trust in Australia, May-June 2018

Inexhaustible Joy / Fourth proposal: "Among Christians, rejoice in the gifts of others" (Brother Alois)

"An inexhaustible joy", the theme that is at the heart of Taizé's life for this year of 2018 was also the theme given to the visits that a brother of the community made in several states of Australia to the end of May.

"These visits began began with a retreat at the St Joseph Conference Centre in Perthville, a few miles from Bathurst (NSW). During the retreat, we were able to reflect on the 4 proposals that Brother Alois wrote to help us go together to the sources of this inexhaustible joy. This is a great challenge for young people in today's society, but the beauty of nature where the centre is located helped us dare to enter into the subject.

Prayer several times a day made it possible to find the courage to face the obstacles that sometimes seem insurmountable, to discover a joy, sometimes very small but which creates the confidence to go ahead.

On Saturday evening, the prayer was opened to people living in the area around. Some had come a little earlier and were able to share about their commitments. Many of the participants traveled to Sydney to join the evening prayer at Pitt Street Uniting Church. It was not the first time the brothers had come to pray in this beautiful historic church - already during the first visits in 1985 and especially during the pilgrimage of trust in Sydney in 1984.

In Adelaide, there was a "workshop for young adults" at Brougham Place Uniting Church. There too, the pilgrimage of trust has roots, the young minister brought a group of young people to Taizé. He came with some musicians to lead the prayer the following day at St. Peter's Anglican Cathedral.

The next stop was in Brisbane where again a "workshop" was being held in one of the rooms of the Catholic Cathedral. All participants then walked together to St John's Anglican Cathedral. It was a sign of communion, a seed of peace in the heart of the city."

Pilgrimages on the theme of "The Courage of Mercy" in Australia during 2016

Brothers of the community visited Australia in March and September of 2016

New South Wales - September 2016

In September 2016, a brother accompanied a retreat in the Diocese of Wollongong. A young couple from Tasmania, both of whom had been volunteers in Taizé, took part in this retreat. One of them wrote after: "We came away feeling nourished and renewed. It was so precious to be able to re-centre ourselves once again using the spirituality that Taizé offers, which first set us out on this course of working for the church in Tasmania.

"It was very easy to fall back into the rhythm of prayer three times a day. That was something we tried to keep up when we left Taizé, but over time it fell away. We were grateful to be reminded of how moments of prayer and stillness throughout a day can enrich it substantially.

"I was not at all frustrated with the 'very mixed up group'. I loved being reminded that community can form so simply when hearts are opened. I missed everyone very much after we left. I remembered with vivid clarity why I came away from Taizé with a fervent desire to share life with others."

Shortly before the retreat, there was a series of prayers organized by the NSW Ecumenical Council. Here, the brother gives his impressions:

"It was a joy to pray in the office of the Council with some of the persons working there, welcomed by the general secretary, Father Shenouda Mansour. After there were prayers in a Catholic and an Anglican parish in Sydney. Everywhere, it gave an opportunity to gather people from very different backgrounds, to pray, but also after the prayer itself people could meet, speak and share together. In Newcastle, in a Uniting Church, the presence of young adults were noticeable. The choir was made up almost all of young people.

"Listening to people, we understand more the questions of the Australians, especially young people: search for meaning, search for identity in a very multicultural society, how to face the challenges of immigration, climate changes and which role can youth play in the Church. Here we saw that they had a place and they came.

"The Proposals for 2017 come at the right time: opening paths of hope, yes, but TOGETHER. Perhaps these prayers were a humble way to open doors, find hope and share it with others."

In and around Perth, WA - March 2016

In July 2015, a group of pilgrims accompanied by Archbishop Roger Herft spent a week in Taizé as part of a pilgrimage which also took them to the Philippines and to Canterbury. Their presence in Taizé led to a brother returning to Western Australia for the first time in 7 years. Here are some of his thoughts after the visits:

My last visit to Perth goes back to 2009. On arriving this time at the new domestic airport, driving down the new highways, seeing the new rail-links and suburbs sprouting freshly around new stations, you get the impression of a city on the move. Certainly, the mining boom has brought money into the state capital.

On the first evening, meeting with the youth who had been to Taizé, it was easy to grasp that their longing went beyond material wealth. And yet, to make ends meet, to have a sense of independence, most of them are holding down jobs and studying at the same time. Where can they find time for listening to that deep-down longing in the midst of all the hustle and bustle?

One young woman told how through the pilgrimage, she has begun to find her feet in her local Church. Working with children and running the youth group were her way of sharing the faith that she is discovering. Not coming from a family with any church tradition, this was a great step.

Meetings in local schools, where there was always a time of worship using songs from Taizé, showed as well how much young adults long for spaces of quiet and reflection. It's no burden to leave aside the headphones and mobiles for a while - in fact it's a liberation.

And the evening prayer in a school in Perth CBD only served to emphasize the thirst that there is to stop and pray. The music was spontaneously prepared but with beautiful results. The original plan for a roof-top prayer had to be changed quickly as the wind was too strong, but the canteen was quickly transformed with icons and candles into an inviting prayer space. Prayer around the cross went on late into the evening...

At a Uniting Church, another evening prayer brought together people from different Christian traditions. But the most moving was the welcome to country given by Rev. Samuel J Dinah, an elder of the Whadjuk Nyoongar people:

Kiya Wanjoo Whadjuk Nyoongar Boodjar
Hello and welcome to Whadjuk Nyoogar country

Nidja Whadjuk Nyoongar Boodjar Noonook Nyininy
This is Whadjuk Nyoongar country you are sitting in

Gnarla Karla Boodja Ngalluk Jurapiny Wanju Nunnuk Ngallah Nyoongar Boodja Nitjah Ngallah Moorts Boodja Koorah Koorah.
Nitjah Ngallah Karla Boodja Koorah Waanginy Gaany Ngallah Boodja Koorah Waaginy Kedala.
Ngallah Yaakiny Ngallak Nyoongyar Nyitiyang Ngallak Ngallak - A -Gaany.

We are pleased to welcome you all to our Nyoongyar country. This is our ancestors' land from Dreamtime. This our homeland of history and as one proud people of our land through history till today, was stand together black and white.
We are one - we are one - we are one.

Rev Samuel is a Uniting Church minister who acts as a prison chaplain visiting many First Australians who are in jail. I knew I was meeting someone who embodied the Courage of Mercy. He invited me to accompany him on his visits, but unfortunately I was flying out the next morning. You can be sure that next time, I will accept his invitation.

Pilgrimage in February 2015 to Australia and New Zealand

In the lead up to the community's celebration of 2015, Brother Alois proposed in 2012 a three-year time of searching “Towards a New Solidarity”, in order to renew in the light of the Gospel our commitment to human solidarity and announced that during this period, gatherings would be held with young adults would be held on every continent.

After meetings in 2012 in Africa, 2013 in Asia and 2014 in the Americas, in February 2015 Brother Alois made the final stage of this pilgrimage to every continent by travelling to Australia and New Zealand, together with some brothers of the community.

One of the brothers tells the story of this pilgrimage at Listening to young people from Oceania.

Here are some reactions from young people who took part in the gatherings:

Aggie from Melbourne

"Ten young adults who have experienced Taizé, whether through their local parish or in France, gathered at least monthly from July 2014 onwards to prepare for the all-day event that occurred in Melbourne last month. From as far and wide as Indonesia, the Netherlands and Hong Kong and a variety of Christian backgrounds including Uniting, Catholic, Baptist and Anglican, small meetings would be held in dining rooms across the suburbs of Melbourne. These foundational gatherings, including the regular CBD prayers, were opportunities for ecumenical sharing, cooperation and planning together.

St Paul's hosted the final evening prayer of the day-long gathering on February 8, where children joined the brothers at the front. The first song, “Bless the Lord,” doubled in volume as families, grandparents, professionals and more young people joined for the evening prayer. Br Alois delivered an address with a strong ecumenical message. “Christ gave his life to gather together all human beings,” he said, “He calls his followers to be salt of the earth by being signs of peace in the world.” The time came for the “prayer around the cross” where Bishop Peter Elliot and Bishop Philip Huggins knelt around the horizontal cross with the three brothers from Taizé. Participants followed. Candles were kindled for the celebration of the resurrection. Twelve hours of pilgrimage then concluded.

“It was a beautiful experience and left me with a sense of contentment that I haven't felt for a while,” wrote Michael Walter from the St Vincent De Paul Society of Victoria. The organising committee is very grateful to all who supported the smooth running and conviviality of the day. They were asked, “When is the next prayer?” with overflowing enthusiasm before singing a final “In the Lord I'll be ever Thankful,” and returning home to their various Melbourne suburbs."

Stefan in Christchurch

"Brother Alois mentioned in his speech that he was touched by the destruction of the city after the earthquake four years ago. By talking to people here in New Zealand over the last year I felt that Kiwis are still deeply moved by the tragic events. They also gave me to understand that there was something uniting them within the shock and grieving. I saw and felt that vividly at the prayer around the cross and gave me again a little more understanding of the power of this prayer. The cross in the centre with it's significance to death, destruction and incomprehension, but also hope for new beginnings draws people together and the queue seemed not to end. This intimate way of sharing with God and others has once more left a great joy in me."

Zainab from Gawler, SA

"The Taizé gathering at St Columba College on Friday 13 February was a unique experience. It was amazing to learn and find out about the Taizé community and their great impact on so many people around the world. Personally, I have never been to or heard about the Taizé community before. The day was spent acknowledging their way of worship through songs, prayers, Bible readings together. It was truly a wonderful experience and generally very good to know about the different ways people communicate with God."

Rhys from Elizabeth, SA

"The service was an amazing opportunity to see and feel the Taizé style of worship, and although the songs had few words, they became so powerful with 40 or so students singing them; there was a real connection and solidarity when everybody was singing.

I would definitely be interested in another opportunity like this, although I am not Christian I was still amazed at how much unity I felt in my brief time there.

Later in the day we went to one of three workshops. I attended the workshop on reconciliation where two Aboriginal sisters spoke to us about how they found a path through Taize and what that was like for them. The sisters are working to reconcile all forms of discrimination on a global scale with a group of people facing similar problems as they did in Australia."

Visits in 2012

During his stay in Australia in autumn 2012, a brother visited New South Wales, the most populous state in the country, invited by the Council of Churches. Here are some of his reflections after the visit.

The invitation came at a moment when the idea of a three year project on the theme of new solidarity was launched in Taizé. So it became clear that the visit should follow that direction. In the concept of new solidarity, there is a desire to meet each person and to forget no-one. In Newcastle, around midday, there was a very fraternel meeting with University chaplains - Christians of different traditions and also non-Christians. In the evening there was a meeting in the Uniting Church, close to the University.

The next day, I visited a farm where the Cana Community, which works with homeless in the city, can offer hospitality out in the fresh country air, but also offer courses on cookery, serving at table, etc. After a shared meal, we prayed with those who wished to. Then in the evening at Redfern there was a prayer. We were welcomed by Pearl, an Aboriginal woman, a way of recognising that we were praying on the land of her ethnic group. It sounds trite to write it like that, but it was essential to acknowledge that the ground on which we were going to pray belonged to the first inhabitants of Australia. .

Another day, Jenny, who worked for many years on refugee projects, organised a visit to the Jesuit Refugee Service. This helped us understand better the problems often with no solution faced by asylum seekers and refugees. St Canice parish, where we held midday prayer is also committed to work with the homeless.

Every Tuesday evening, on the initiative of the Coptic Orthodox Church, meals are given out at Woolloomoo for the homeless, for immigrants and for the young poor. Father Shenouda, also President of the New South Wales Council of Churches, is so radiant that he imparts trust both towards the volunteers and to those who come to eat. One very moving moment came when I heard the person in front of me get out a little plastic box saying “Please give for my son and me.” The poor widow of Sarepta was there before me.

Brother Roger often said, “I will go to the ends of the earth to express my trust in the young generations.” During my last visit to Australia, I remembered this everywhere, whether it was in Darwin meeting students from Kormilda College, or seeing the large group that came to the evening prayer in the Anglican cathedral. And yet their chaplains said that many of them came from difficult family backgrounds. At Brougham Place Uniting Church, the young minister insisted that the choir be made up only of young people. Some of them had exams the next day.... It was the first time that they had played and sung for this sort of meditative prayer.

In Wollongong, the pupils of seven schools of different traditions spent more than five hours reflecting first of all alone and then in small groups on this year's theme of “Opening ways of trust among humans.” During the prayer, each pupil came and placed near the altar a piece of coloured cloth on which they had written a word or phrase which had struck them in the “Letter 2012”. This simple gesture was like a commitment to put into practise that word.

Prayers in Melbourne

Quarterly prayers are held in Melbourne gathering together young people from all over the Metropolitan district. Visit the Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/groups/tai....

If you would like be involved with music or help set-up on the night,
please email: taize.melbourne gmail.com.

These gatherings are especially for 18-35s, if you are outside this age group, please come along and bring some young people along with you!

An Advent prayer in Melbourne

Heidi writes: "After the Taizé Brothers' visit in September 2011, a group of young people were inspired to keep praying together and decided to organise a series of four Melbourne CBD prayer services over the next year to complement the other Taize prayer services already happening around Melbourne.

We decided to kick things off with an Advent Prayer Service with songs from Taizé, which was held on the 9th December at St Francis Catholic Church on Lonsdale Street. Around 85 people attended, which was fantastic! Although we only printed 50 service sheets which was not so good …

The night was not without its dramas, the Icon of the Cross wouldn't fit in Fr John's car and someone parked him in so he completely missed the singing practice … many nearly didn't make it due to getting stuck at work and of course we completely ran out of service sheets!!

The Bible reading was read in five different languages, which was just a small portion of the different nationalities present. The singing was beautiful with a range of parts and amazing cantoring!

We had some great feedback from those who attended: For some it was an inspiration and they want to introduce Taize singing into their own prayer groups, others were happy to meet like-minded people of their age and others simply said that they enjoyed the experience.

Our Facebook Group: Taize in Melbourne, Australia has now grown to 97 people! We're thinking of offering a prize to the 100th person to join …"

Visits in September 2011

In September 2011, two brothers visited several states in Australia. Initially invited by Queensland Churches Together as part of the celebration for the 20th anniversary of their foundation, the trip became an expression of the Pilgrimage of Trust in its most diverse forms.

Melbourne: small group sharing

Thursday September 8

Arriving in Melbourne directly from the summer meetings in Taizé was quite a challenge! Jet lag is never easy to overcome and the warmth of Burgundy was swapped for the end of the Victorian winter, spring not quite showing its face yet. But at midday, we walked down to Melbourne University, not far from where we were staying. A time of prayer and sharing brought together students from a vast array of nationalities; Chinese, Tamil, Malaysian, Singaporean, Indonesian, Timorese, German, Filipino, Thai. Immediately, you were plunged into the multicultural reality of Australia today.

Each day, we decided to take a theme from the Letter from Chile. Today's theme was joy; joy which can be “awakened by an unexpected meeting, by a lasting friendship, by artistic creation or again by the beauty of nature....” It was the unexpected meeting with young people of so many different backgrounds which brought that joy today!

Melbourne: small group

Evening; prayer at St Stephen's Anglican parish church, Richmond. Again, many young people from many different churches. Worship can be so beautiful in a church arranged simply for prayer together.

Friday September 9

Off to the mountains! Morning Prayer at the tiny Mount Macedon Uniting Church, to the north of Melbourne. The church burnt down during the Ash Wednesday bush fires in 1983, but was rebuilt by the community. Warm welcome on a very cold day. A small, but caring community. “Opting for joy is inseparable from a concern for other human beings. It fills us with unlimited compassion.” Those words from the Letter from Chile stayed with us as we reflected on the theme of compassion.

Back to Melbourne for midday prayer. Chaplaincy meeting in Monash University. We're in a huge glass windowed room. Not ideal! But with an icon of the cross, some candles and some coloured material, prayer becomes possible. People walking by on the street outside see us.

Off to Geelong in the evening. The Geelong Cats are playing the same evening in Australian Football Finals – will anyone want to pray? Wesley Uniting Church welcomes us. All the benches in the church are pushed back creating a wonderful prayer space. Reflection on Matthew 26 and the story of the woman who anointed Jesus before his death helps us think about what it means for us to serve the poor.

Saturday September 10

Melbourne: prayer at RMIT

Full day programme at RMIT University. The chaplaincy building is in the old Melbourne Gaol. What stories its walls must tell! The chaplaincy is multi-faith. A huge tapestry of the tree of life adorns its far wall. Ablution rooms are available for people of faiths who need them before prayer.

70 young people gather. Once again, the number of nationalities present is incredible. Some Chinese Catholics who had been in Taizé on their way to World Youth Day in Madrid join us joyfully. Morning Prayer, Bible study, small sharing groups, midday prayer and then different workshops rhythm the day. One workshop is led by a Christian group called Urban Seed which ministers to the homeless in the city. Participants walked through the streets to the various points where the homeless meet. Another is on story telling. The parable of the Good Samaritan is retold in today's language.

Evening prayer at St Francis' Catholic Church concludes the day. A real sense of togetherness in this building, an oasis of prayer in the city centre. Nothing more to add. Savour the beauty.

Looking back on these days in Victoria, there's only gratitude. Everything was organised by two young women, one of whom was a volunteer in Taizé for some months, the other had never been to Taizé. They didn't know each other before. Yet they worked together contacting different churches and inviting young people to come and take part. It was a real pilgrimage of trust, the joy received throughout was a real gift.

Melbourne: prayer at St Francis

Sunday September 11

Canberra: the Federal Capital. Over 60% of the population of the city work in government ministries. The tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Prayer for peace, remembering Jesus who, risen from the dead, breathed “shalom” upon his disciples and sent them out, as the Father sent him, to announce forgiveness.

Monday September 12

Visit to a Catholic school in Bowral, New South Wales. The teacher has been to Taizé many times in the past. An opportunity to meet with the older pupils. For many, school is their only contact with church.

Tuesday September 13

Sydney

Sydney; visits to more schools, a Uniting Church girls school and a Catholic boys school. Time to show the film about the life of the community, answer questions and then prepare a time of worship. It's important to go out and meet young people where they're at. In the parish celebrations, they are not so many.

In the evening; prayer at St James' Anglican Church on King Street in the city centre. In 2008, during World Youth Day, Taizé led prayers in this church. It was good to be back! The rector gave us such a warm welcome. Beautiful music and a long prayer around the cross, before everyone lit their taper candles in celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus.

Thursday September 15

We arrived in Brisbane last night with the icon of the cross from Sydney. Today, visits to an Anglican school in the southern suburbs. Assembly with the whole school – rather daunting! But when we ask “what is prayer?”, the youngest children answer spontaneously “Talking with God”,
“Meeting with Jesus”. How is it that children can understand so easily the essentials of faith?

Brisbane: Music practise

The school principal and chaplain would like the pupils to discover that prayer can be contemplative, that it doesn't always have to be a performance or concert. With the older pupils, we spend the second lesson learning the music for some Taizé songs. In the third period, we meet with different year groups. With the help of the older pupils, we explain about prayer in Taizé and teach some of the songs. After lunch, the day finishes with a time of worship for the three year groups. Impeccably kept silence, beautiful singing, in front of an altar space created by the pupils; many icons, lots of candles.

Evening; meeting in an inner city Uniting Church. The people of God in all its diversity.

Friday September 16

Drive to Toowoomba, west of Brisbane. Barbecue outside the church in good Australian fashion. Meeting with young people from different churches of the town, followed by prayer in the Anglican parish of St Luke. It's the flower festival, so the church is bedecked with beautiful floral arrangements. One of these commemorates the victims of the floods which ravaged the town and area around in January. A journalist comes to speak of the book she is preparing. She has interviewed over 100 people who had been in treacherous situations during those dramatic days. The book will help ensure that those who were lost will not be forgotten.

Saturday September 17

Our last day of meetings. Gathering at the Catholic Cathedral in Brisbane for a prayer and music workshop. People came from all over the city and throughout South East Queensland. Afterwards, one lady said; “We've understood now that the music of Taizé is for praying, not for performing, and that we have to invite young people to take part. They need welcoming.”

Conclusion of the day; evening prayer in the Anglican Cathedral. Musicians and soloists prepared during the afternoon. Most of them didn't know the music before. But many wanted to continue afterwards.

Sunday September 18

A final step in the pilgrimage; morning service in an Aboriginal church in Logan, south of Brisbane. The pastor comes from Tonga, but the congregation is made up of indigenous Australians. Joyful songs, preaching about the love of Christ and afterwards impossible to leave without sharing in the Sunday lunch. Hospitality is part of the Gospel. This indigenous congregation cannot live otherwise.

Sydney: prayers at Saint James': 2008

At the invitation of Pope Benedict XVI, the World Youth Days took place in Sydney from 15 to 20 July 2008. From Monday 14 July, brothers of the community led prayers with songs from Taizé, in a city centre parish.

For a whole week Sydney's streets and railway stations echoed to the sounds of animated young people from all the continents of the world. The World Youth Day had attracted a quarter of a million pilgrims who came together to celebrate their faith and their hopes.

Where the massive buildings of the commercial district meet the large park opposite St Mary's Cathedral is the lovely, warm sand stone church building of the Anglican Church of St James. And it was in this church that people came to join some of the brothers of Taizé in prayer each day. As the week progressed, more and more young people began crowding into the church until by the end of the week not everyone who wanted to get in were able to – even with up to four prayers in an afternoon and evening. A choir and instrumentalists were there throughout the week to help with the singing.

There were always people of different denominations present. Young people read the Scriptures in up to six different languages. They also helped lead the intercessions. On three of the evenings, Brother Alois spoke to the young pilgrims.

At the close of the final evening prayer each day the cross was laid on the floor and people waited patiently in a long line for an opportunity to entrust to Christ some of their anxieties and fears and hopes. At the final prayer, the Prime Minister of Australia who had earlier in the week spoken to the young pilgrims at the opening event, attended with his family, staying for two hours to pray with the young people.

Roads in the central city were blocked off; even the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge was closed for a whole day, causing inconvenience to so many motorists. But the people of Sydney responded generously, going out of their way to offer hospitality to so many visitors. The city was transformed as singing groups, sometimes identified by their national flag, walked from one event to another along the city's streets.

How much can change, even for a city of over 4 million, when people for a few days are united in communion with each other and the whole church.

On his return from Sydney, Brother Alois spoke to the young adults gathered in Taizé:

With three of our brothers, I was in Australia for the World Youth Days, to which Pope Benedict XVI had invited young people from every continent. At the beginning of last week when we set off to join those gathered in Sydney, we left behind us many young people here on the hill.

As was the case during each of the previous World Youth Days, we were invited to lead prayers each day of the week. In Sydney, it was in the beautiful St James' Church, at the heart of the city.

At Saint James', which is Anglican, we discovered a fraternal collaboration with the young adults of the parish. In this way, young people of another denomination were involved in welcoming the young Catholics. For years now, one of our brothers has been going from time to time to this same church to lend support to a prayer with Christians of Sydney. We were happy to find this continuity.

In the evenings, we ended with the prayer around the Cross, and the young people stayed on and on, to sing and to pray. Others were waiting outside, for their turn of praying around the Cross, placed on the ground.

While we were in Sydney, we remembered that Brother Roger died exactly three years ago, during the World Youth Days held in Cologne.

During these days in Australia, Pope Benedict XVI called on the young people to become witnesses to Christ. And here in Taizé, week after week, we also wish to do everything we can, so that those who gather here on our hill find in trusting in Christ a meaning to their life.

Quarterly prayers are held in Melbourne gathering together young people from all over the Metropolitan district. Visit the Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/groups/tai....

Messages received

Benoît — 2025-01-07T14:00:00Z

On this page are published the messages sent by church and political leaders to the participants in Taizé's 47th European meeting at Tallinn.

Pope Francis
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell
The Secretary General of the World Council of Churches, Rev. Jerry Pillay
The Secretary General of the World Lutheran Federation, Rev. Anne Burghardt
The President of the World Methodist Council, Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett
The Secretary General of the Baptist World Alliance, Rev. Dr. Elijah Brown
The Ecumenical Officer of the World Evangelical Alliance, Rev. Samuel van der Maas
The Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen
The President of Estonia, Alar Karis

Pope Francis

Dear young people,

It is on the shores of the Baltic, in Tallinn, that you are meeting this year for the 47th European Meeting led by the Taizé Community. Pope Francis sends his warmest greetings to you, to the brothers of the Community, to the leaders of the various Christian confessions in Estonia and to all the people of goodwill who are welcoming you at the end of this year.

During his Apostolic Journey to the three Baltic States in 2018, the Holy Father met young people in the Kaarli Lutheran Church in Tallinn, and he had these words that also describe what you are experiencing these days: “It is always good to meet, to share our life stories, and to share with one another our thoughts and hopes; it is wonderful, too, for us to come together as believers in Jesus Christ.” (Ecumenical meeting with young people, 25 September 2018)

Coming together in a spirit of sharing and fellowship: this is all the more important in today's context, when our world is going through serious trials. Many countries are marked by violence and war, many people are victims of inhumane treatment, and still others are disorientated by the inequalities in our societies and the grave ecological dangers.

These days in Tallinn, you want to “hope beyond all hope”, according to the title of the letter that Brother Matthew, Prior of Taizé, has written for the coming year. This appeal, in tune with the theme of the Jubilee Year that will mark the year of 2025, is also addressed to each and every one of you: “Walk in hope! Hope overcomes all weariness, every crisis and every worry. It gives us a powerful incentive to press forward, for it is a gift received from God himself, who fills our life with meaning, sheds light on our path and shows us its ultimate direction and goal” (Message for the 39th World Youth Day, 24 November 2024)

Dear young people, the Holy Father is counting on you and reaffirms the trust that the Church has in you, because the universal Church needs all of you to proclaim the good news of God's love today. This is also the meaning of the synodal process undertaken by the Catholic Church, which has led to a fine advance in ecumenical friendship with our brothers and sisters of different Christian confessions.

Entrusting each one of you and your families to the Lord, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Pope Francis wholeheartedly bestows his apostolic blessing on you and entrusts himself to your prayers.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew

Dear young people,

It is with great joy and deep affection that we send you this message on the occasion of the European Meeting organised by the Taizé Community in the beautiful city of Tallinn. This event, which brings together young people from different nations and Christian traditions, is a living testimony to unity in Christ and to our common call to live as disciples of the Risen Lord.

The theme chosen for this meeting, “Hope beyond all hope”, invites us to deepen our faith in God, who is the ultimate source of hope. This hope, rooted in the resurrection of Christ, calls us to look beyond the challenges of our time. As the apostle Paul wrote: “Hoping against hope, he believed” (Romans 4:18). This message reminds us that faith opens up a path where there seems to be none.

In a world marked by divisions, conflicts and uncertainties, you are the bearers of new hope. By coming together to pray, share and reflect, you demonstrate the reality of God's love, which transcends borders and unites hearts in genuine communion. By your example, you show that the Christian faith is a transforming force capable of bringing peace and hope even in the darkest of times. We therefore invite you to pray in particular for the countries and regions ravaged by war and conflict, especially Ukraine and the Middle East.

The city of Tallinn, with its rich spiritual and cultural history, becomes in these days a sign of light for Europe and the world. By your presence here, you are witnesses to that light which is Christ, “the true light that enlightens every person” (John 1:9). This light calls you to be peacemakers, servants of God's justice and ambassadors of reconciliation. In a world often clouded by indifference and misunderstanding, your commitment is a spark of hope.

We wish to express our gratitude to the Taizé Community, and in particular to Brother Matthew, for their unceasing commitment to Christian unity. Your witness reminds us that unity is not a distant dream, but a reality that we can taste here and now, in humility and mutual love. The work of the Taizé Community inspires thousands of people around the world and reminds us that we are all called to work for lasting reconciliation.

Dear young people, we encourage you to deepen your faith, to constantly seek God's will and to live according to the teachings of the Gospel. Be messengers of Christian hope in your families, communities and societies. As the apostle Paul wrote: “Let everything you do be done with love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). This passage reminds us that love must be at the centre of everything we do, because it is through love that we reflect the face of Christ in the world.

In this spirit, we invite you to cultivate relationships based on listening and mutual respect. Every encounter, every dialogue, is an opportunity to discover the richness of others and to bear witness to the beauty of God's creation. You are called to be builders of communion, to build bridges where there are walls, and to enlighten the world by your actions and your words.

We pray that this European Meeting will be a source of inspiration, spiritual renewal and abundant graces for each of you. May the Lord guide and strengthen you in your journey of faith and witness. We trust that this experience will strengthen your desire to serve the Church and society with generosity and dedication in the new year ahead.

Your fervent intercessor before God

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

It is with great joy that I send greetings as you gather in Tallinn for this International Meeting for Young Europeans, hosted by Taizé. This gathering is a wonderful opportunity for young participants and their hosts to begin the new year united in prayer, fellowship, and hope.

I encourage each of you to embrace this chance to be pilgrims of hope and peace. As we embark on this journey together, let us carry within us the spirit of Taizé, a spirit that calls us to unity, reconciliation, and love.

When I first came to Taizé over thirty years ago, I was struck by the church where we gather to worship three times a day. It has multiple entrances and exits, reminding us that we can approach—or even leave— in many ways as we are gathered and sent out by Christ in different ways and in different directions. But at the centre is Christ, and his invitation that we come to him to find hope and peace for our lives and for the world.

If you find yourself here unsure of what it means or why you've come, know that you are in good company. Like Peter, we often stand with a mix of joy and trepidation before Jesus, but there is no better place to stand—for here we find the words of eternal life. May they guide you in the days to come. And may Christ direct your life.

As we seek God's blessing for the new year, I pray that this journey will inspire each of you to return home with a renewed commitment to building unity and working for reconciliation. These are the gifts our world and church so deeply need.

With peace and hope

The Secretary General of the World Council of Churches, Rev. Jerry Pillay

Dear Young Pilgrims of Trust,

On behalf of the World Council of Churches (WCC), a fellowship of 352 churches, I greet you with joy and gratitude as you gather in Tallinn for the 47th European Youth Meeting organized by the Taizé Community. Your Pilgrimage of Trust and the WCC's Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity are deeply intertwined. Both call us to journey together as people of faith, living out the transformative power of the Gospel in a world yearning for healing and renewal. Justice calls for action, reconciliation calls for healing, and unity calls for humility—tangible expressions of faith that both pilgrimages embody. Your commitment as young pilgrims brings fresh energy, creativity, and determination to this shared mission.

The concept of pilgrimage is more than a physical journey; it is a transformative journey of faith, a paradigm for the Christian life. It calls us to walk together as companions, seeking God's will in a world yearning for healing and hope. As an ecumenical journey, the pilgrimage paradigm reminds us that we are not isolated believers but companions on a common path. We are united by our faith in Christ, even amidst our diversity of traditions and expressions.

The pilgrimage of trust calls you to step out in faith, bridging divides and fostering relationships marked by mutual respect, understanding, and love. It is an invitation to move beyond comfort zones, to encounter one another in vulnerability and authenticity, and to build a future rooted in hope and shared purpose. This is the essence of ecumenism—journeying together as the body of Christ, celebrating our differences as gifts, and striving to live out Jesus' prayer that we “may all be one” (John 17:21).

This meeting takes on particular significance as it coincides with the beginning of the new year 2025. The turning of the year symbolizes a threshold—a moment to recommit ourselves to this ecumenical journey. It challenges us to renew our dedication to being witnesses of God's justice and peace in the world. Just as the pilgrimage is not always an easy path, neither is the work of reconciliation and unity. Yet, as we walk together in trust, we find strength in one another and in God's unfailing presence.

As you reflect, pray, and share during these days, may you feel the embrace of the global Christian community walking alongside you. May your hearts be inspired by the knowledge that you are part of a greater movement—a movement shaped by the Holy Spirit and committed to making visible God's reign of love and peace.

May this pilgrimage of trust renew your vision for the future and deepen your commitment to journeying together toward a world marked by justice, reconciliation, and unity.

With blessings for a transformative gathering and a hope-filled new year. Yours in Christ,

The Secretary General of the World Lutheran Federation, Rev. Anne Burghardt

Dear young people gathered by the Taizé community in Tallinn,
Dear pilgrims of hope and peace!

Many greetings to all of you on behalf of the Lutheran World Federation, a worldwide communion of Lutheran churches, as you gather during this Christmas time, during the time where we celebrate the light that comes to the world through Jesus Christ. It is so important to gather in person, to listen attentively, to be in dialogue, to be transformed through the encounters. When we gather in God's name, it is ultimately God who transforms us through the encounters. We can't transform ourselves. Transformation is God's work, the Holy Spirit, always shaping us, molding us into persons of peace, persons of hope, and into communities of reconciliation and justice.

Transformation takes time and requires persistence and patience. As followers of Christ, we are not to be conformed to this world but, as Paul says in Romans 12, we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. The Holy Spirit calls us to this ongoing transformation of our own minds, hearts, and attitudes which then impacts the communities we belong to so that they too become communities of hope in our world.

A community of hope sees a sibling in every human being. It takes seriously what Scripture teaches about encountering Jesus Christ in every person in need (Mt 25:31-40). It speaks out against injustice, so that righteousness may roll down like an ever-flowing stream (Am 5:24). It supports the gifts of all its members regardless of ethnicity or gender (Gal 3:28). And, it takes seriously the task to nurture God's creation (Gen 2:15).

All this is the work of the Holy Spirit in and through us, in and through our communities. We are witnesses to that hope beyond all hope, a hope that transforms the world.
May you be richly blessed so that you may be a blessing to others.

In Christ

The President of the World Methodist Council, Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett

Dear Brother Matthew and European Young People,

I greet you on behalf of the World Methodist Council as you gather by the Baltic Sea in Tallinn, Estonia, for your European Youth Meeting.

I am inspired by your decision to enter the New Year in prayer and fellowship with other Christians. Know that I will join you in heart and spirit by praying 2024 out and 2025 in from 11:30 pm to midnight EST on New Year's Eve.

It is a difficult time in our world due to wars, famines, climate change and more. In addition, many people suffer personal health, relational, spiritual, emotional and economic challenges. Yet Christians are people of hope due to our faith in Jesus Christ. Our hope lies in the Resurrected Christ who offers us new life that begins now and continues forever. As stated in II Corinthians 5:17, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; look, new things have come into being.”

The theme “hoping beyond all hope” captures the spirit of Christians as we journey through this life. In addition to being people of hope, we are instruments of God's peace through our words and actions. May you grow in your identity of “pilgrims of hope, pilgrims of peace” through this experience of prayer and fellowship.

My prayers are with you as you meet, pray and enjoy each other's company on this important occasion. Blessings to you as you “hope beyond all hope” now and always. In Christ,

The Secretary General of the Baptist World Alliance, Rev. Dr. Elijah Brown

As the Baptist World Alliance family, we come together to celebrate and share in the joy of your gathering this winter, where you will begin the New Year in prayer and Christian fellowship. We see this gathering as a profound expression of unity in Christ.

The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is a Christian World Communion that was founded in 1905 and draws on over 400 years of shared history and is today found in 134 countries and represents over 51 million baptized believers. Extending to every part of the world, the BWA exists as an expression of the essential oneness of Baptists in the Lord Jesus Christ. Together we share a common confession of faith in Jesus Christ and are bonded together by God's love to support, encourage, and strengthen one another while proclaiming and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit before a lost and hurting world.

Your dedication and commitment to our shared faith is truly inspiring. As you gather together, we see your efforts as a testament to the values central to the BWA – values of passionately living the Gospel and supporting the spiritual lives of the Next Generation of Christians. The Christian community is united by a common faith across diverse cultures in a covenant of shared transformation in Jesus Christ, shared relationship, and shared participation in the mission of God.

In this season, amidst the trials and tragedies that burden humanity, we offer a message of hope to everyone who is taking part in this meeting, young participants and hosts. We echo the efforts of encouragement so that you will be “pilgrims of hope, pilgrims of peace.” As you reflect on the challenges facing our world, may you also be emboldened by the promises of Christ, who calls us to be peacemakers and bearers of His hope. May this time renew your strength and conviction to embody this hope in every corner of your lives, communities, and beyond.

May you find renewed inspiration and strength. The BWA is here to support and stand alongside you as we journey alongside our Lord Jesus Christ.

We pray God's grace continues to guide your path.

The Ecumenical Officer of the World Evangelical Alliance, Rev. Samuel van der Maas

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain” (1Cor. 15:57,58)

Dear friends,

In these dark days one could easily be tempted to become discouraged, seeing what humankind does to each other and to creation.

Yet our Lord Jesus came into this world to mend what is broken, to give perspective instead of hopeless, to teach and enable those who follow Him to live Love instead of selfishness and hate – to make peace possible.

You are such an encouragement to us all, by investing time, finances and energy from this most important motivation: to be ever more “pilgrims of hope, pilgrims of peace”.
Thank you for not giving up, but rather spreading this perspective and this reality that the world needs today.

Seeing everything that is going on, seeing so much pain everywhere, you may think that your effort cannot change much.

But be encouraged: your investment is never in vain, in the Lord!

Thankful greetings,
In His Grace and grip,

The Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres

I send my warmest greetings to all of you at the 47th European Meeting of Young Adults.

When I attended a Taizé gathering as a student, I was inspired by your community's values of peace, compassion and solidarity.

This year's message of ‘hoping beyond all hope' is needed more than ever.
Around the world, conflicts are raging, inequalities are deepening, hate speech is tearing at the fabric of society and climate breakdown is all around us.

But I see hope in the young people around the globe leading the way in calling for change. As custodians of tomorrow, no one has a greater stake in forging a path to a better future. And the United Nations strives each day to grow and nurture that hope.

That is precisely why the Pact for the Future and the Declaration on Future Generations, adopted by the Member States of the United Nations in September, include commitments to strengthen the meaningful participation of young people in decision-making at the national and global levels.

Thank you for your commitment to advancing peace, sustainable development and human rights around the world. The United Nations stands with you and all people striving to build a more just, healthy and inclusive world. I wish you the very best for this year's meeting.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen

Dear Brother Matthew,
Dear friends of Taizé,

I am sure that this Annual Meeting will leave a lasting impression in you – just like it did with me when I attended two years ago. I still cherish the memory of those days. The faith and passion of the young people I met. The moments of silence and the moments of song. But also the words of wisdom of Brother Alois and many others. Back then, the theme you had chosen was “Becoming creators of unity”. It was perfect for a moment of rising polarisation. This year, once again, the theme chosen by Brother Matthew is the mirror of the times we live in. Times of war and sorrow, but also times when hope resists against all odds – hope beyond all hope.

Think about the events unfolding in Syria – a country that your community has a special connection to. After fourteen years of civil war and half a million victims, there is now the possibility of a new beginning. A new beginning like the one imagined by Father Paolo Dall'Oglio – who just like you dedicated his entire life to dialogue between faiths, and was kidnapped by the terrorists of Daesh for this. Some of you know his story: Father Paolo believed that the unity of all Syrians could not be achieved through repression – but only through reconciliation. He believed that beyond dictatorship, a new democratic Syria could rise. Achieving this dream will not be easy. Many Syrians – including those in Christian communities – are preoccupied about the future. We must be vigilant that all minorities are protected, and all religions respected. But after so much time and so much pain, hope is back to Syria.

As Brother Matthew wrote, there is no passivity in hope. In fact, hope is an active struggle against resignation. Nowhere is this clearer than in Ukraine. Every day, the bombs keep falling on Ukrainian cities, and every day, the people of Ukraine get up and keep on resisting against the aggressor. They know that giving up would not lead to peace, only to losing their freedom. And they need our support to keep the flame of hope alive. Resistance – not resignation – is the only road towards a just and lasting peace.

At this time of the year, Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Hope. May this Annual Meeting provide all of you with the strength to keep “hoping beyond all hope”. And may you and your families enjoy a peaceful Christmas and a happy New Year.

Yours sincerely

The President of Estonia, Alar Karis

Dear Taizé youth!

I am delighted that you have gathered in Tallinn, the northernmost capital city ever to host a Taizé New Year's meeting of young adults in Europe. This year's gathering will also go down in history as the largest gathering of young Christians ever held in Estonia.

The motto of the meeting – A Pilgrimage of Trust – refers to what is often lacking in today's world, which is trust between people, countries and nations. You, young people, can make a significant contribution to ensuring that there is more trust in the future than there is today. Trust is the foundation of everything, so it is important that we not only talk about it, but also act on it, everyone according to their possibilities. Trust also nurtures the self-confidence and courage that children, young people and adults need. By trusting each other and working together, we can also hope that the Europe of the future will have your face and be designed by you. And it will be united and strong.

In hope that in addition to the programme of the meeting, you will also find time to explore Tallinn and the attractions offered by the former Hanseatic city that has brought together people from different corners of the world over the centuries. Estonia is known in the world as a digital state and the land of unicorns, but there are still many things we are yet to see and experience.

Welcome to Tallinn, welcome to Estonia!

Daily meditations by brother Matthew

Benoît — 2025-01-01T10:00:00Z

On this page, the daily meditations given each evening in Tallinn by Brother Matthew, from December 28 to 31, are published. It is also possible to join the prayers live through the links provided on this page.

Saturday, December 28

We are so happy to be together during these days in Tallinn. You have come from almost every European country and from further afield as pilgrims to Estonia, to pray and share as a sign of hope on our continent today. You are tired after your long journeys, so I promise not to talk for too long.

Archbishop Urmas Vilmaa of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church and Regina from Missio Church in Tallinn are with us this evening.

- “What does it mean for your Church to take part in this meeting?”

Archbishop says some words about his Church's participation

- “What does this meeting mean for you as a young Estonian?

Regina says some words

I remember my first visit to Tallinn thirty years ago. As I arrived at the Baltijaam train station with another brother, a group of young people was there waiting for us. They were singing and carrying flowers. The warmth of their welcome touched me immensely and I've never forgotten it.

Now we live in a different time, but is there not still the desire within us to go beyond our comfort zone which expresses our longing for communion with each other? It helps us to understand that we are called to something greater than what we see at first sight.

You have already received the Letter “Hoping beyond all hope”, which has been written for this meeting and those that will follow in the coming year. During these days, you will explore different aspects of this theme together. At a time where we can easily be discouraged by what we see in the world and in society, are we ready to listen to each other and discover what has been placed in the heart of each person?

To write this letter, I spent much time listening to young people who live in war zones. I was struck by their courage and resilience. Many of those I spoke to told me how important their faith was faced with the harsh realities of their existence.

Faith, which is a simple trust in God's love and which understands through the Resurrection of Jesus that death will never have the last word. They shared their hope, a hope that is beyond all hope, because it counts on new life arising where everything seems lost.

We heard the Magnificat, the song of Mary, the mother of Jesus, during prayer this evening. A young woman, she was confronted with a situation that she had never imagined. Living in an occupied country, she understood the importance of faith in God and was able to say “yes” to what God asked of her.

She visited her cousin Elisabeth, who was also awaiting an improbable birth. Like Mary each of us need people like Elisabeth who confirm what we understood about what God is asking of us, but hardly dared to believe.

The confirmation of her cousin leads Mary to break out into her song of praise. She sees how God raises up the lowly and that the mighty will be removed from their thrones. Her vision is a world which, under the sign of God's merciful love, is a world of justice and peace where no-one goes without. When I hear these words, then something in me dares to believe that situations can change and my hope is renewed.

During these days, I would like to invite you to sing the song of Mary. As you sing it, pray for situations to change. Let us remember people who live under oppressive regimes, but who long for justice and peace. I remember so well the singing revolution in 1991 which contributed to Estonia regaining its independence. So many of the young people I spoke with whilst preparing the Letter told me of the importance of song in renewing their hope and giving them the courage to persevere.

It takes courage to hope. In the Letter, there is a quotation from the Peruvian theologian, Gustavo Gutierrez. He writes, “God will not forget the covenant: loyalty is first and foremost memory. … To have a memory is not to remain fixed in the past. Remembering yesterday is important, but it is important because it helps us stake our bets on tomorrow.”

We cannot forget the past, but we can look at it in order to build today and step by step construct our future. Is that not how God acts? Through the Holy Spirit, God is constantly at work in and around us, transforming our hurts and crowning our joys.

Let us not forget the past, but let us dare to hope beyond all hope.

Sunday, December 29

Today you have taken part in the celebrations of your host parishes. We know that many of you are staying in schools, halls and some of you in army centres which were used to welcome refugees in past years.

When I took part as a young person in the 1985 Barcelona Taizé meeting, at first I was staying in a large school. It was not what I was expecting and wasn't easy. But little by little, it became an important experience of community life and sharing. Taking care of each other, being ready to serve and accepting a simple way of life shaped my outlook for the future.

During this meeting, you also have a wide range of different workshops to take part in. I hope that this will sustain you in your searching and enable you to encounter committed Estonians whose testimonies can encourage us in our journey of faith.

Yesterday, I said that we cannot forget the past, but we can look at it in order to build today and step by step construct our future. In so many of our countries, we are wounded by history and still carry the scars today. Others among you, notably those among us from Ukraine, are still experiencing the horrors of war. In a moment, we will be hearing from Andriana and Marta who come from Ukraine.

I spent the last week in Lebanon. With one of my brothers who hails from that country, we visited people from different religious communities during the time leading up to Christmas. You know that the Middle East is currently war-torn. We have many friends there and our visit was a small sign of solidarity with them.

The generosity of the welcome in a land where there has been so much destruction took my breath away. Buildings in many parts of the country are in ruins, yet people show incredible resilience by reopening their shops and clearing away the rubble. This resilience is a way of resistance to the violence that was unleashed.

There are currently so many uncertainties. War could return. Despite this, those we met shared the joy of Christmas. Their faith was the light that shines in the darkness.

We also met with a Muslim sheikh in the south of the country. His own home had been destroyed and some of the villages nearby are still inaccessible. The bombs were still falling when he also buried the Christian dead whilst waiting for the priest to come and perform the necessary rites.

When I spoke with young Lebanese during the time of the recent bombardments, you could sense their hope for a future of peace and justice. Their courage was palpable, even if despair was not far away. We heard the Apostle Paul this evening writing to the first Christians in Rome “We hope for what we cannot see.” I felt that very strongly as I listened to these young people. The meetings last week confirmed what I had earlier heard.

Jesus himself was born in poverty at a time when nothing was clear in the land where he was to live. We too can find ourselves in situations where we cannot see the path forward. We can feel angry and at a loss faced with certain realities, but can this spur us into action? A person quoted in the Letter who met with one of our brothers recently said “A creative anger is dwelling within me.” The simplest gestures can become a marker of our desire to hope.

And we heard also in the reading about the groaning of creation. Our wounded human family is part of the wounded creation, where everything is given, everything is fragile and everything is linked. What are the choices each one of us is called to make to show our care for our common home, God's good creation?

When I visited Ukraine in May, I met with so many people, young and not so young, who gave their time and strength to help others. I think of the young man who was the director of an orphanage, a woman who runs training courses for emergency and trauma medicine, a widow, whose husband was killed last year, who runs an association for children with special needs.

I would like to ask Andriana and Marta from Ukraine to share some words with us.

– What enables you to hope in your current situation?

I will be honest, it is not always easy to keep hope when you see the unfairness that lasts for so long... But what helps us not to lose it, is faith. We believe that what is not possible for people is possible for God. There is always a sunrise after a dark night. We believe that He is always with those who suffer and feel our pains as well. We also know that He doesn't leave us alone in this hard situation.

– How can we pray for you in the coming time?

In these hard and dark times it's very important to stay united in prayers and stand together. We ask you to pray with us for sovereignty of Ukraine, for stopping aggression against our home country, for wisdom of the governments and for peace to come. Please pray for all those people who lost their lives because of this cruel and unfair war, who lost their relatives and homes, for our soldiers, who protect us every single day risking their lives. May every family have them back home safe and sound. For all those who are captured, injured, lost, who feel physical or mental pain, who suffer and are in need. Thank you for all your prayers, we can feel them all!

Tomorrow morning, you will read together the second part of the “Letter” Listening to people of hope as well as a Bible passage as indicated in the meeting app. Two of the questions you will share are “Have I met any witnesses to hope in my life?” and “What have I learnt from them?” Perhaps you can begin to reflect on this already this evening.

Our evening prayer will close with a time of prayer around the icon of the cross. All of you who wish may come and pray at the cross to entrust to Jesus your worries and troubles, as well as situations of suffering in the world. Christ welcomes each one of us, as we are, and as he did in his life on earth walks with us in our questioning and doubt, just as he shares our joy. He renews our hope.

Monday, December 30

We are already over half-way through our European meeting in Tallinn. I would like to say a big thank you to the Christian communities of the city and surroundings, to the civil authorities and to the team of young volunteers from different countries who have prepared our gathering.

The conditions have not always been easy, but you have created something through very simple means which will remain in the hearts of many people, both the meeting participants and the people of Estonia. Thank you for the courage and perseverance that you have shown, preparing paths of hope for us all.

This evening, we heard the reading from Matthew's Gospel where Jesus is moved by compassion at the sight of the great crowd following him. His emotion will result in caring and effective action. At first he cures the sick among the crowd. But then night begins to fall. His friends want to send the crowd away to find food.

Jesus, instead of agreeing with them, asks his friends to look and see what they have already. They come up with five loaves and two fish, something which seems so inadequate faced with the size of the task. He gives thanks for the little that they have found, breaks the loaves and his friends distribute the food to the crowd. What is left over exceeds their needs.

Jesus refuses to resign himself to what seems like an impossible situation. The resulting meal is a foretaste of what is to come in fullness in God's future. Our hunger and thirst will be satisfied on all their different levels.

This story can shape our hope which, as it is written in the Letter, becomes “like a ship's anchor. It holds us firm when the storm is raging. It allows us to live out little signs of our faithfulness to the calling we have received and to the people entrusted to us. It is also like a helmet, protecting us from the adversity that can rain down upon us.”

You will be starting to think about your return home. What is the little that you have to offer to Jesus so that hope can flourish in your local community, in your Churches and chaplaincies? The smallest signs count enormously. The prophet Jeremiah bought a field in his city, despite the threat of its destruction. Signs of hope give courage to all, hope for the human family, hope for God's good creation.

We can achieve so much through simple means. This meeting has been prepared by a small team of young volunteers, a few Taizé brothers and St Andrew's Sisters and local Christians. Rather than looking for the spectacular, is it not the humble gestures of listening to each other, of building trust and friendship which communicate the essential of the Gospel and help us enter more and more into the mystery of communion which is the Body of Christ, the Church?

For many years, our Taizé community has been on a Pilgrimage of Trust. From time to time, this pilgrimage becomes visible like now during our European meeting in Tallinn, but also in the village of Taizé with the weekly youth meetings. It is a way of encouraging each other in our everyday faith journey, a way of letting Christ renew our hope so that we can face the challenges we meet wherever we are.

We would be very happy to welcome you in Taizé during the summer meetings, and perhaps some of you will be able to spend a week with us either before or after the Jubilee of Youth which will be held in Rome next summer.

But where will our next European meeting be held?
It will take place in a country with seven main mountain ranges
A country which produces over 1600 different types of cheese
A country which has hosted the Winter Olympics 3 times
In a city built on a beautiful river
With a recently renovated cathedral

The next European meeting will be held in the city of Paris and the surrounding region of Île de France.

I would like to ask Archbishop Laurent Ulrich to say a few words to invite you all to come to Paris and Île de France from 28 December 2025 to 1 January 2026.

Archbishop speaks.

Brunette is from île-de-France : What will it mean for young people from the Paris region to host the next European meeting ?

Brunette speaks: "C'est une joie et une fierté de recevoir les prochaines rencontres européennes de Taizé à Paris et dans toute la région. Ça sera une fête. Nous avons des paroisses vivantes et dynamiques. On vous attend nombreux."

Tomorrow we will speak more about the Pilgrimage of Trust on Earth with some new ideas of how we can continue to renew together our hope over the next time. Now we will pray around the cross like on previous evenings.

Tuesday, December 31

This morning you read together the “Striving for hope” section of the Letter in your small groups. You reflected on the question “What helps us look beyond our difficulties when we are in trouble?”

What you have shared together will prepare you for your return journey because though what we experience during these days here in Tallinn is important, its value increases when it has an influence on our everyday life.

As I said yesterday, our meeting has been prepared by a team of young volunteers. This evening, two of them, Ismael from Bolivia and Natali from Estonia are with us. We would like to thank them for all their efforts. I would like to ask Ismael, “What enabled you to keep on hoping during the preparation, despite the obstacles that you faced?”

Ismael says some words:

The answer to this question is simple, yet deeply profound and challenging: trusting in God. There are times when we lose trust in those around us, and even in ourselves and our abilities. But it was trusting in God that gave me hope throughout the preparation. Knowing that He has a plan, that He cares for that plan, and that He is present in every step allowed me to keep moving forward. That trust helped me see God in the people around me and in the small progress we made each day.

Something I experienced here in Tallinn strengthened this trust even more. I watched a documentary about Estonia where a woman said that, for Estonians, singing is a way of expressing their faith. That thought reminded me of a phrase by Saint Augustine: "To sing is to pray twice." Perhaps many Estonians, and even many of us, don't realize it, but when we sing, God not only listens to us but loves us deeply.

That's why I can say with confidence that trusting in God was the source of my hope. The certainty that He loves us, especially when we sing with our hearts, sustained me through every challenge and filled me with peace. Knowing that God loves us with an eternal love is what gives meaning to every step we take.

Natali “What do you hope for after the meeting, for the people of Tallinn and for the pilgrims who came to take part?”

Natali says a few words.

The challenge for all of us is how can we discern the presence of God in the midst of our struggles? Though we come from vastly different situations, how can we remain people of hope? In the Kikuyu language from East Africa, one of the attributes of God is that God is “hope-worthy”, God in whom we can put our hope.

It is above all in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus that this becomes apparent. And yet, Jesus really experienced the hardship of human existence and even death. He did not flee it. If our hope is to grow truly then it means we must face the reality as it is, but to see it in the light of God's promises. Nothing, not even death, can separate us from God's faithful love.

And yet, even knowing that doesn't always give us the answers that we are looking for. In this evening's reading from Mark's gospel, we meet the women at the tomb of Jesus. “Who will roll the stone away for us?” they say to each other. They accept their vulnerability. They don't have the answer.

But when they look up, the stone has already been rolled away and they see a young man dressed in white. We are told that the women were alarmed. They are in a state of shock at what they see and hear. Something that they never dared hope for has happened.

The young man tells the women that Jesus has been raised. He is not in the tomb. And he says to them “go and tell his disciples and Peter”. The women become apostles, which means “sent”. They are sent to the male disciples and to Peter. The women's raised status and new ministry is a symbol of the new creation, the renewed hope, that Jesus brings into being.

Jesus is going before them to Galilee, back to the place where the gospel began. It suggests a new beginning but also a return to the roots. But the women flee from the tomb, seized with terror and amazement. Because of that, we are told, they said nothing to anyone.

Mark uses the word translated as terror twice in his gospel – once to describe the reaction of his friends at the calming of the storm (Mk 4.41) and again to describe their reaction to Jesus' transfiguration (Mk 9.6). Both these contexts suggest that we should better say awe than terror. The women say nothing to anyone because they are filled with awe.

The women need time to digest what they have experienced. Like them, you are returning to Galilee, to your home region. They journey together as many of you will do. You, like them, can become pilgrims of a hope that you carry within you. And that hope is perhaps a hope for peace.

During these days, from different backgrounds, countries, Churches and ages, have we not lived a sign of the hope that trust in the Risen Christ promises us? Because Christ is our peace and he gives us that peace, as pilgrims of hope, we become also pilgrims of peace.

Peace without justice is no real peace, but there is also an inner freedom which comes from the simplest trust, which we call faith. As we strive for a just peace wherever we live, will we do all that we can to remain free inwardly?

Every Friday in Taizé, we hold a prayer in silence for peace in our world. We may not have the answers we look for, but to remain in the presence of God can allow intuitions to rise within us. Some of these intuitions, as we share them with others, will perhaps lead us to act. As you will do tonight to welcome the new year, will you on returning home pray also for peace on a regular basis in your Churches and groups?

Could you also seek contact with someone who lives in a war zone and support them through regular emails or face-time talks? Would it be possible also to support people who live under oppressive regimes in some way as well? Many of you have met young people these days from Ukraine. Stay in touch with them! We will not forget you!

May the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Risen Christ, lead us all to become pilgrims of hope and pilgrims of peace. Are we ready to hope beyond all hope?

Information for the media

Benoît — 2024-12-29T08:30:00Z

Accreditation

To follow the European meeting as a journalist and receive regular updates, it is necessary to be accredited online. Accreditation cards can be picked up at the press centre from December 26 onwards.

Press centre

A team will be available to assist journalists with their work in the press centre of the European meeting, which will be open from December 26 onwards. There will be two locations:

During the day, the Press Centre will be located in Kaarli Kool (Toompuiestee 4, Tallinn 10142). It will be open from 9.30 to 12.00 and from 14.00 to 16.00 (Estonia time).
At the Tondiraba Ice Hall, a second Press Centre will be open from 17.00 to 19.00 in the VIP lounge accessible from inside the prayer hall, at the very top of the stands opposite the decorations.

Useful links

Here are some useful links to prepare coverage of the meeting:
“Letter 2025” by Brother Matthew (full text published on December 25)
Messages received from Church leaders or international institutions (page published on December 27)
Daily meditations by Brother Matthew at the end of each evening prayer
Photos uploaded during the meeting

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http://twitter.com/taize
http://youtube.com/taize

Daily News for the accredited media

The press releases are sent every day in PDF format to all those who have filled the accreditation form online.

Contacts

For more information, email us at media taize.fr.

Decoration of the Prayer Places

John — 2024-12-29T07:32:12Z

This year's decoration at the Tondiraba skating rink, the site of the evening prayers, is inspired by the work of Estonian artist Anu Raud. Born in 1943, Anu Raud is a well-known Estonian textile artist. She lives and works on a farm in the countryside near Tartu. She draws her inspiration from the country's traditional motifs, from observation of her surroundings and from the view out of her window. She is also actively involved in promoting Estonian art and folk culture.

The formats and motifs used for the decoration plunge us into winter and cold, bringing together different elements of the Estonian countryside and culture. At the heart of it all, a simple scene opens up before us: the birth of Jesus. In the cold and snow, a warm home, a welcoming manger. The crib becomes the center that brings us together in common prayer, warmth enveloping us at the heart of winter.

When we presented our decoration project to Anu Raud, she reacted as follows: “We're in the middle of the dark days of November in Estonia, and we're waiting for the light, we're waiting for the birth of a king, the birth of Jesus.”

An article on this page shows some aspects of the life and work of the artist Anu Raud.

Delight the eyes and make life beautiful

John — 2024-12-29T07:31:45Z

In her 80s, Anu Raud still lives in the isolated farmhouse at the top of a meadow that her grandfather bought in 1924. She has preserved the stove, the kitchen, the furniture and the ceilings. She has spread her tapestry looms and worktops over the two levels of this wooden building that once housed three families. This is also where she welcomes student trainees.

Anu Raud in front of her home and Mari Ann Oviir

After a thorough tour of the premises, she insists on accompanying us to the sauna next to a pond, then into her woods “where many wolves pass by”, where we sample a few handfuls of wild strawberries. We go back upstairs into a wooden attic that serves as a bookshop.

Now in her 80s, she is still very active. In addition to trainees, she welcomes many visitors. She is responsible for correspondence and the follow-up of various projects and exhibitions. “I don't have enough time to work. What's more, when I'm drawing, I'm torn by the urge to write. When I write, the desire to draw comes back!” Single and childless, she has devoted herself entirely to promoting traditional culture and passing it on to young people.

She finds her inspiration in traditional local motifs, but also by looking at her surroundings and through her window. A spirit of childhood and poetry enables her to give depth to the few elements drawn from nature and traditional symbols found on textiles that make up her designs and tapestries. Throughout her life, she has collected textiles from all over the country. Every region, every village, every farm has its own particular patterns and colors. Linen and wool were dyed with lichen, moss and other plants. She installed her collection in the former Heimtali school, which she bought in 1991. She handed this small museum over to the National Museum of Tartu, of which it is now a branch.

Anu Raud's drawings in her workshop

“The key to happiness? Limit your needs, practice sobriety, live a rustic lifestyle, avoid accumulating things or traveling as much as possible. One day, when I was planning to make a bedside rug, I said to myself: why make an ordinary bedside rug for something that catches our first glance every time we get up. A beautiful bedspread could light up the whole day! That's been the inspiration for my work ever since. It's important to have beautiful objects around us that give joy and light.”

“In summer, we have more energy to work with. The light also helps the elderly whose eyesight is failing. I still want to write about the tradition of crosses carved into trees. One interpretation is that they chase away the spirits of the dead and prevent them from returning to the living. But there are other interpretations. We make beautiful knitted wool mittens and give them to celebrities to wear in public. This will promote our popular culture. In the past, priests had to wear woollen gloves during mass or funerals because it was so cold. The eight-pointed star (Kaheksa Kand or eight heels) is a beloved motif in our country”.

Traditional Estonian dances at the Roca al Mare Open Air Museum in June 2024