The Community held its annual Community Council from 19 to 26 January. On Sunday evening, a common prayer concluded the Council with the sign of prostration by which the brothers recall the day of their commitment. Beforehand, Brother Matthew said the following prayer:

God of hope, blessed are you!

We thank you for these days of retreat and Council that you have enabled us to live together.

We thank you for your call to each one of us to follow your Son Jesus every day in our community, whether we are in Taizé or on mission in the fraternities. Enable us to listen to the whisper of the gentle breeze of his voice, he who is gentle and humble of heart, and lead us to grasp ever more deeply what you expect of us today.

We thank you for the witness of the lives of our brothers Charles-Eugène and Rudolf, whom you have welcomed into your eternal peace. We thank you for the brothers who have made their life commitment in the community and for the new brothers who have joined us this year.

May your Holy Spirit rekindle in us the passion for the unity of all those who live from the Gospel, who love Christ; rekindle in us the flame of fraternal love; rekindle in us the desire to deepen a life in you, a contemplative gaze.

May we remain all small so that we can welcome with empty hands the gift you offer us, the gift of each person, the gift of your creation, the gift of your presence, so that we may become gift in our turn.

May we keep our door open for those you entrust to us, and may our house more and more echo the presence of Christ.

Together, may we bring to Christ at every moment that which is paralysed in us, in our community, in the Church and in the world you have loved so much. Help us to accept that we too sometimes need to be carried by others.

Help us to understand how to live and speak of your forgiveness among ourselves, and how to understand it where there are wounds and injustice.

Day after day, you invite us, God of hope, to drink from the source of your love, an inexhaustible source of kindness and compassion that never disappoints.

Lead our steps along the path of peace and make us pilgrims of hope, pilgrims of this peace.

Together with two other brothers, this trip enabled him to pray with young people in Lviv, Ternopil and Kyiv, and also to meet many witnesses of the suffering and courage of the Ukrainian people. Brother Matthew also met several leaders of the two Orthodox Churches and all the bishops of the Greek-Catholic Church, who were meeting in synod at the sanctuary of Zarvanitsya.

In the town of Zhitomyr, he took part in a gathering with teachers and pupils of a Catholic school in the town, and then went on a pilgrimage of remembrance to the towns of Irpin and Bucha, where the traces of the occupation by the Russian armed forces in the spring of 2022 are still visible.

On the last evening of his stay in Ukraine, during a prayer in the Latin Catholic church in Kyiv, Brother Matthew said to the young people gathered: “We are going back to France, but we will not forget you. We are going to pass on your courageous testimony to the young people we will meet in Taizé. This is the time of the Resurrection: sometimes it is difficult to believe in the Resurrection, but it teaches us that suffering will not have the last word”.

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From the fire, women from the village and sisters from the different communities present in Taizé took the Easter light and led the procession towards the Church of Reconciliation. At 8.00, they knocked three times on the door of the church and the Light of the Resurrection enter to the song of ¨Mshiha qam" (The Messiah lives), announcing in whispers "He is alive".

And as the Paschal candle was lit "Lumen Christi" (The Light of Christ) was sung, to which all responded "Deo gratias" (Thanks be to God) and the light spread throughout the church. And not only light, but that joy which rises in our hearts as we sing the Resurrection.

At the end of the service, in 20 different languages, our lips and hearts proclaimed:
 Christ is risen!
 He is risen indeed!

Risen Christ, like John, Peter, and Mary of Magdala on the morning of your Resurrection, we seek for you everywhere, but you always go ahead of us. Even if we perceive nothing of your presence, help us too to believe in the sign of the empty tomb. May the day come when we understand that you were there and that you send us out to bring the good news of your love to all creation.

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The olive branches were blessed by the Lutheran Bishop Fredrik Modéus, from Växjö in Sweden, and by Sr Delia, from the Protestant deaconess community in Riehen, Switzerland. Here are the prayers both wrote for the occasion.

- From Bishop Fredrik :

Christ, you walk the path of love for us and before us. When we hesitate, you wait patiently. Today, we stand at the threshold of the mystery. Let us follow you in trust, love and obedience, and rise to eternal life. Amen.

- From Sr Delia :

Jesus the Christ, you entered Jerusalem gentle and humble of heart. You came, not to be served, but to serve and give your life for us. And in giving yourself, you welcome us. In our joy, in our singing, you perceive our longing for you. In you we place our trust. During this Holy Week, enable us to welcome your love. Amen.

Recalling the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, all went from there to the Church of Reconciliation, with branches in hand.

On Sunday morning, for the Feast of Palm Sunday, the brothers and young people present at #Taizé gathered at 9.15am at the Saint-Etienne spring. Recalling the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, all went from there to the Church of Reconciliation, with branches in hand. pic.twitter.com/xrCU4pikoe

— Taizé (@taize) March 24, 2024

700 more people joined us for the Easter weekend including over 200 from Italy. At midday, Brother Matthew prayed the following words:

"Not knowing any longer how to manifest his love, God sent you, Christ Jesus, to dwell among us. And even if we are tempted to distance ourselves from you, you show us the way of a greater love, to the point that our hearts sing and rejoice in you: you will be with us for ever."

And in the evening prayer, after reading the passage from John 13, the brothers commemorated Jesus’ act of washing the feet of his friends, expression of that greater love which goes as far as giving our lives. A circle of 50 stools was set up in the first extension of the church and all who wished could come to sit and have their feet washed.

Afterwards, the celebration of the Eucharist recalled the Last Supper of Jesus with his friends before entering into his Passion.

- Sophia, from Germany

“The washing of the feet felt very special to me. In that moment I felt seen and totally accepted the way I am. As the brothers did the same service as Jesus in the Gospel, I was able to understand for the first time how the disciples must have felt on Maundy Thursday.”

- Marie, from Germany

“Spending time in Taizé during Holy Week was like a fresh breeze in my heart and solidified my faith even further. The most special moment was on Good Friday, when the bell rang and everybody stood still and was quiet. Hundreds or thousands of people stopped what they were doing for Jesus! This was a high feeling of community and faith for me.”

On Friday evening, the icon of the cross was carried in procession at the start of the prayer by brothers, joined by young people and children. It led us into the night of prayer as many people came to entrust to Jesus on the cross their burdens and those of the human family.

The Church of Reconciliation was stripped of all its decorations on this day of the Great Silence: candles, icons and the coloured tiles of the choir were removed. The following litany was prayed during the midday prayer:

The Church of Reconciliation was stripped of all its decorations on this day of the Great Silence: candles, icons and the coloured tiles of the choir were removed. The following litany was prayed during the midday prayer:

 Come, let us contemplate our Life lying in the tomb, to give life to those who in their tombs lie dead. You who gave yourself for our sake, glory to you, O Lord!

 On this day, a tomb holds the One who holds all creation in the palms of his hands, glory to you, O Lord!

 Sleeps Life and the kingdom of the dead trembles. You have given an everlasting peace: your resurrection from the dead, glory to you, O Lord!

 O tomb, who received the Creator as someone who fell asleep, you become a treasure of life for our salvation, glory to you, O Lord!

 The Life of all accepted to be laid in the tomb. He transfigures it into a fount of renewal, glory to you, O Lord!

 Let all creation rejoice, let all the inhabitants of the earth rejoice, for death has been stripped of its fearful mask, glory to you, O Lord!

 And God blessed the seventh day, the day of rest on which God’s beloved Son rested from all his works, glory to you, O Lord!

 By suffering his death, the Saviour maintained God’s peace in the flesh, and through his Resurrection he gave us eternal life, glory to you, O Lord!

During Brother Matthew’s Saturday meditation, Ivanka from Ukraine shared the following words when asked how we can continue to support her people:

- Ivanka, from Ukraine :

War is very exhausting and some people are feeling very down, so please remain for us, Ukrainians a visible sign of hope. Stay with us faithfully till the end. Pray and talk not only about peace but also don’t forget about justice. Proclaim truth about the crimes, and don’t be afraid to call evil by its name.

And Ülle, a deacon from Estonia, invited young people to take part in the European meeting in Tallinn at the end of this year:

- Ülle, from Estonia :

We look forward to welcoming you to Estonia. It’s a small country with a big heart. Come and help us tell our young people about Jesus. Come and pray for peace. Come and build an open, safe and fraternal Europe for today.

During their exchange, Brother Matthew thanked Pope Francis for his ministry as Bishop of Rome and shared the deep gratitude of many Christians of different Churches for the “Together” gathering of the People of God on 30 September last year, in particular for the final blessing given by the Pope together with some twenty other Church leaders.

The European meetings in Ljubljana, at the end of December 2023, and the one being prepared in Tallinn, Estonia, for the end of December 2024, were also mentioned, as well as the invitation issued by Brother Matthew to become “pilgrims of peace” at this time of great suffering in so many parts of the world.

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□ Before arriving in Rome, Brother Matthew and two other brothers of the community participated in an ecumenical colloquium on the theme “The Feast of Creation and the Mystery of Creation” held in Assisi. During the colloquium which he spoke on the first panel entitled “Ecumenical Kairos: fertile soil for the Feast of Creation”.

□ Last Wednesday, 13 March, Brother Matthew and the community welcomed to Taizé for the day the bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, who were in Geneva for an ecumenical study trip.

□ As part of the “pilgrims of peace” initiative, young people, sisters of Saint Andrew and brothers from Taizé completed a 34 km walk from Taizé on Thursday 7 March, to symbolically mark the distance between the cities of Gaza and Rafah, with four stops along the route to pray for those who are suffering from war in various parts of the world.

• · During his stay in Rome, Brother Matthew will be hosting a number of journalists for an informal breakfast. If you would like to participate, please write as soon as possible to secretariat taize.fr.

• · If you would like to receive the press releases sent four times a year to journalists and media, please register by writing to media taize.fr.

The bishops were in Geneva for an ecumenical study trip. They attended midday prayer and shared lunch with the community. In the afternoon, they reflected with the brothers on the themes of the unity of the Church, listening and dialogue, as well as the forthcoming European meeting in Tallinn, a city which is 82 km from Helsinki, two hours by ferry.

• International meetings in Taizé throughout the year for young adults aged 18 to 35 (Other age groups, see here.)

• Holy Week and Easter in Taizé from 24 March to 7 April 2024

• Meeting of Friendship between young Muslims and Christians from 7 to 12 July 2024

• Sharing and discovering the faith of the Orthodox Churches from 4 to 11 August 2024

• Week of reflection for young adults aged 18 to 35 from 25 August to1 September 2024

• European Meeting of Young Adults from 28 December 2024 to 1 January 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia.

The meetings in Taizé are made possible thanks to a group of young volunteers: young women and men aged between 18 and 29. They are welcomed for longer periods in Taizé, from a few weeks to a year:

Together... praying

• ▪ Nothing that happens at Taizé would be possible without the three common prayers, and it is also through prayer that the volunteers help to welcome all those who come.

Together... living in community

• ▪ Together, building a small temporary community with young people from every continent, from different Churches, in the shared richness of our diversity.

Together... serving other people

• ▪ Make it possible, by being available, to welcome young people in Taizé.

If you want to know more, see Volunteering in Taizé.

The week of prayer for Christian unity will take place, as every year from January 18 to 25. All our friends from the area are invited to come to Taizé on Thursday January 18 at 6pm for a prayer service, followed by refreshments. The prayer will be broadcast live:

Before this, beginning at 5pm in room 15, there will be a meeting with Brother Matthew for those who wish.

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Welcome to all of you who have come from the region near Taizé this Christmas night when we are celebrating the nativity of Jesus. With my brothers, we are very glad to welcome you here in the Church of Reconciliation. At the end of the Eucharist, we are going to light our candles with the light that has come from Bethlehem and which is burning in this lantern. Then we will go outside and sing in front of the crib outside the church.

We have just heard the Gospel of the birth of Jesus. It’s a well-known story for many of us, but what does it have to say to us this evening? For me, it is a story that offers us some Christmas gifts. I can think of three gifts that we can receive by listening to it, gifts that God gives to each one of us. Perhaps you will recognise others as you reread the story.

The first gift is “joy”. There are the shepherds; they are not privileged people; they have to spend the night outside with their sheep. To these poor people, the angel, God’s messenger, announces “great joy”, not only for them but for all the people: good news to be shared. The shepherds will in their turn become messengers of God.

This “great joy” will also be the joy of Jesus’ friends at the end of the Gospel. It will fill their hearts after Christ’s death and resurrection. Joy can come to birth when we go through tight places. What is the joy I am receiving these days? How can I share it with others?

The second gift is called “peace”. At the sight of God’s messenger, the shepherds were seized with great fear. We can be taken aback when we realise that God is present. But the angel says: “Do not be afraid”. And then the whole sky sings of the peace that God offers to all the inhabitants of the earth, whom he loves without exception.

The peace that the shepherds receive in their hearts is to shine out around them. One of the early witnesses to Christ said: “Begin the work of peace within yourself so that, once you are at peace, you may bring peace to others”. Thinking about the violence in ourselves, in our societies and in our world, what is my responsibility for of this peace that God announces and entrusts to us?

The third gift I would call “newness”. The birth of Jesus is something completely new in the history of humanity. And the amazing thing for us, as for the shepherds, is that God chooses to meet us at the point where we are. God is no longer far away, but close to us. God is there, very weak, humble and poor in the baby Jesus, dependent on Mary, his mother, on Joseph and the others around him. And he entrusts himself to our care as well.
If something is new, it is often fragile. It needs to be welcomed, cared for and supported. And yet every new thing is part of a story. It is not by chance that Luke begins his account of the birth of Jesus by situating it among the current events of the time. What is new arises in our experience of life as it is lived, an experience in which we are invited to discern the traces of God.

What is the newness that God is asking us to welcome this Christmas night and during this Christmas season? Even if it is fragile, how can we create a space where we can nourish it and let it grow?

Let us welcome these three gifts from God: joy, peace and newness. Then we can then offer them to others too, by the way we live. Maybe this could be the challenge that Christmas presents to us all…

The Christmas Eucharist was broadcast from 8.30pm (Paris time) on the evening of Sunday 24 December.

The Taizé Community has a new prior. On Saturday 2 December, Brother Alois handed over his office to Brother Matthew in the presence of representatives of various Churches and many friends of the Community, as well as the young people in Taizé for the week.

Among the Church representatives, five were asked to say a prayer for Brother Matthew’s start as “servant of communion” in the Community: Bishop Benoît Rivière of Autun, Chalon and Mâcon, Metropolitan Maximos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Geneva, Anglican Bishops Olivia Graham of Reading and Smitha Prasadam of Huddersfield, and Pastor Laurent Schlumberger, former President of the United Protestant Church of France. Others present included Pastor Christian Krieger, President of the French Protestant Federation, and the Lutheran Bishop of Riga, Rinalds Grants.

Photos of some key moments

Photos : Tamino Petelinsek

To obtain high resolution photos, please write to media taize.fr.