Not everyone is able to make a pilgrimage to the Taize community in France to experience the style of prayer, meditation and music for which it is renown. However at St Lawrence's Church in Balcatta, we frequently organise this peaceful, prayerful and reconciling experience in our community.
A LITTLE TAIZE HISTORY:
The Taize Community, founded by 25 year old Br Roger in 1940, when France was a land of poverty due to war, for assistance to those most discouraged by deprivation of livelihood. Br Roger purchased a small house which eventually became home to the Taize Community, and the place became a sanctuary to war refugees. Br Roger’s mission was to create community where reconciliation became a reality every day. Since this time, fraternities have been formed by the brothers all over the world, usually among the poor. Young people from all over the world have been visiting the Taize community in France Since the 1960s.
ABOUT THE SYMBOLS:
Candles flickering in the chimney blocks, used in early days as candle holders, were a reminder to Br Roger of the Ancient Christian catacombs in Rome where history tells us, Christians used to light candles and place them in narrow niches where the bodies were buried, as they prayed for who had died.
The chimney block altar at Taize became a symbol linking the prayers of the brothers with the Christians who preceded them. When the brothers decided that the candles placed this way contributed to an atmosphere of prayer, they filled the whole area with them.
The red and orange sails, used as a simple and beautiful focal point, were seen by the brothers as linking heaven and earth.
The brothers decided to take these symbols with them when they travelled to other cities to be used when they met to pray with tens of thousands of young people.
The Taize community seeks to include Christians from all over the World,
using music and prayer in many languages,
including chants and icons from the Eastern Orthodox tradition.
The music uses simple phrases, usually lines from the psalms or pieces of scripture.
Please join us!