Taize

From July 10 – 16 I spent a week at Taize, France.  Taize is a small village that houses the first monastery made up of ecumenical brothers.  The brothers come from all different Christian traditions.  Some are ordained in their own traditions and others are not.  There are around 100 brothers in the order, and they serve either in Taize or living among the poor in developing countries.

Taize was begun by Brother Roger.  Brother Roger grew up in Switzerland and went on to study Theology in college.  After college, he moved to Taize, France with the idea of beginning an intentional community.  A lot of France was occupied by the Germans during World War II, but Taize was still located in the unoccupied zone.  Roger began hiding and housing Jews and other refugees from the Nazi occupation.  When the Nazis raided Taize Roger was away visiting his family in Switzerland, and no one was there.  He had to stay in Switzerland for several years because he was wanted by the Nazis.

Roger convinced a few other man to join him in brotherhood while in Switzerland and began their community there.  After the war, they returned to Taize, with the mission of living the Christian life with a goal of reconciliation.  They immediately began ministering to German prisoners of war.  They had the prisoners for dinner and assisted them in other matters as well.  Many people think this act of reconciliation is the reason why so many German teenagers journey to the community today.  The large church at Taize was funded by a German organization seeking to build a symbol of reconciliation in France.

Over time, young people began pilgrimaging to the community.  Pilgrims participate in the brothers’ life of prayer (3 x daily) and mission of reconciliation.  The brothers did not set out to be a pilgrimage site, but over time they have accepted ministry to young people as a central focus of their mission.

I arrived at the Macon-Ville train station around 12:30 on Sunday.  The station is small, and French, and I had no idea where the bus to Taize was located.  I wandered around, trying to find the bus without success.  Eventually, I saw two other women chatting and overheard the word “Taize,” so I asked them, and they showed me where to catch the bus.

It is a 45 minute bus ride from Macon to Taize.  On the way, I met another American named Wes who was also travelling in Europe and planning to spend the week in Taize, and 2 German girls who spoke very good English.  Upon arrival, we were sent to a room in the church where an English speaking Dutch man welcomed us, signed us up for dorms, food, and work, and explained the rules of the community.

I am not sure what I expected from Taize, but reality was not as I’d pictured it.  For some reason the notion of a monastery conjured up visions of a quiet, thoughtful community rooted in prayer.  The community is prayerful and thoughtful, but it is certainly not quiet.  It is a popular destination for Europan teenagers, particularly Germans.  So, there are teenagers running, playing, shouting, and singing all over the place.

I stayed in a dorm with 4 others.  They were all German.  One was a woman about my age, and the other three were 16, 17, and 18.  The room was simple, with 6 bunks and no power outlets.  The bathroom was simple as well.  It contains many sinks, toilets, and showers.  The showers and sinks both run on a timer so that you press the button and get about 8 seconds of water, which is an entirely new showering experience.  Because everyone at Taize has a a job, the facilities are cleaned by groups of young people on a rotating basis.  The cleanliness varied according to the day.

The meals at Taize were also simple.  Generally we got a scoop of rice and beans as well as a piece of bread and fruit or yogurt.  The most interesting part for me is that everyone received only a spoon, bowl, and plate.  The bowl held our fruit, and then later we filled it with drinking water.  For breakfast each day, we got a croissant, 2 sticks of chocolate, a pat of butter, and a bowl of either cocoa or tea.

My experience at Taize was incredible.  I came to dearly love the community and the things that they stand for.  The times of prayer are made up of simple sung chants and a period of silence, which I found refreshing and transformational.  As part of their ministry to reach all people, the chants are sung in a variety of languages.  The Bible readings are also read in a variety of languages.  There is always a translation provided in each language that is present that week.  In addition to the prayer times, each person can participate in a Bible discussion group and some type of work in the community.  My work was reminding people to be silent as they entered the church for prayer times.

My discussion group was amazing.  We were made up of a German, two Brits, 3 Slovakians, and one Dutchman.  We had 3 Catholics and 4 Protestants.  It has literally been years since I have felt so welcomed and affirmed by a group in the church.  Discussions centered around daily readings from the Gospel of Matthew and their application to our lives.  Members volunteered to lead the discussion.  In the spirit of reconciliation, all views were respected and welcomed.  No one had to pass any “theological tests” to have a say.  I became particularly close to Katie, who is from the UK.  We are hoping to connect again next summer.  At mealtimes and at other workshops, I found that there were also several people at Taize who were seeking but did not necessarily identify as Christian.  At least 2 Muslims and many agnostics were participating in our community.

Taize is wonderful because it is set up so well to minister to pilgrims wherever they are on the journey.  Pilgrims can choose to spend a week in silence.  During the week, they are assigned to a Brother or Sister who serves as a sounding board and helps guide their journey.  Communion is served each morning, and Cathoic Mass, Protestant Communion, and Eastern Orthodox Communion are all served in different corners of the church at the same time.  Brothers and sisters are available for individual appointments for people who wish to discuss something in a one-on-one environment.  For teenagers, after the evening prayer, a small bar is set up where they can get one beer or wine (only) and hang out, playing the guitar and goofing off.

In addition to the prayer times, individual times of silence and reflection are encouraged throughout the week.  I found these to be incredibly valuable.  It has been such a long time since I have prioritized silent reflection with God in my life.  It was almost like rediscovering an old friend.  I started some person journeys that have been in the back of my mind for quite some time.

My time at Taize was very much what my soul has been yearning for.  I am so grateful for the opportunities of healing, joy, fellowship, and prayer that I received.  Leaving was difficult because I have no idea how to take those experiences and transfer them into my daily life, but I have committed to at least intentionally incorporate silent periods of reflection into my daily routine.   Even as I was leaving, I made a friend from Germany at the bus stop who was also leaving and we traveled together to my stop at Lyon.   I have great respect for the community, and I am hoping to return next year during my travels.  

Because they ask that you not take pictures in the church, and because I was trying to focus on spirituality and not tourism, I did not take many pictures at Taize.  However, I am including links to 2 Youtube videos about the community.

This is one of the chants from Taize with images from worship in the church.

This Rick Steves clip gives an overview of life at the community.