believers from Balkan countries rediscovered their faith in humanity after a decade of ethnic strive, the organization said Monday, January 13.
"A young Croatian, in spite of his experience of the Balkan wars, could say, ‘I rediscovered my faith in humanity here. I discovered that human beings can be good,’ the France based Taizé Community said in a statement received by BosNewsLife.
"Over half" of the participants came from Eastern Europe, where Taizé brothers have been travelling regularly since 1962. The Paris event from December 28 till January 1 came a year after a similar meeting in Budapest, Hungary, one of that country’s biggest Christian youth events since the collapse of Communism in 1989.
Participants stayed with families and schools while praying in their host parish in Paris and surrounding area’s. They also held meetings with locals "in order to discover signs of hope," Taizé added.
EXHIBITION HALLS
Every day youngsters, mainly teenagers and twenty-somethings, joined together for prayer in the vast exhibition halls of the Porte de Versailles, which organizers said was specially prepared for this purpose.
"In addition workshops provided opportunities to reflect on the sources of faith and on people’s commitment at home, in their parishes, local communities, work places, their towns and cities," Taizé said.
The European meeting was part of what Taizé described as a "pilgrimage of trust on earth", at a time when the planet is struggling with conflicts and the United States led war against terrorism.
TIME OF TRUST
"Very many people today aspire to live in a time of trust and of hope," explained Brother Roger, the founder of the Taizé Community in a letter addressed to the young for the Paris meeting.
In Paris, French Senator Gérard Delfau (Hérault) invited a group of young adults from the meeting to the Senate Building to pray for peace.
"The message of peace of the young people from Taizé is essential, at the moment when war against Iraq is being prepared and so many conflicts are shaking the planet," he was quoted as saying by Taizé officials.
The Taizé Community also received messages from young Christians in embattled Bethlehem, who were unable to attend the massive gathering.
HEARTS OF SADNESS
"With hearts full of sadness I write this a couple of days before Christmas to inform you that Israeli army troops have occupied the apartment building we live in and have locked us as well as twelve other families in our apartments," the Christians wrote.
"They have told us that they are here for an indefinite period of time and we will not be able to leave our apartments until they leave." The family added that it was going to be their "baby girl’s first Christmas."
"Even with the siege of Bethlehem and the continued curfews and suffering, we still decorated the tree, bought the gifts, took out the Christmas CDs and thought that at the least we will be able to celebrate Christmas with our families. It seems that even this simple wish will not come true this season and we will be celebrating Christmas as prisoners locked in our home…"
SUFFERING CHRISTIANS
Praying for these and other suffering Christians is seen as a central part of the activities of the Taizé Community named after the French village where it was founded in 1940 by Brother Roger.
He noted that during World War Two the village of Taizé , than close to the demarcation line that divided France in half, was well situated to welcome refugees, including Jews, fleeing the war.
Brother Roger said he received his calling to help people while suffering from tuberculosis. He stressed that during that long illness, the call had taken shape in him to create a community "where simplicity and kind-heartedness would be lived out as essential Gospel realities."
He and other brothers from different kinds of church backgrounds still live in simple accommodations in the Taizé village, about 380 kilometres (apr. 235 miles) south-west of Paris.
