What took more than 30 people on a 15-hour journey from Norfolk to central France?
The prosaic answer is a coach and a ferry. The other answer is Taizé.
And what is Taizé?
It is an ecumenical Christian monastic community.
It is also a concept, a place of pilgrimage with a particular focus on young people, and a musical tradition.
Lucy Mitchell and Seun Sotonwa were part of a pilgrimage group from the Diocese of Norwich.
Seun, who is 25, said: “I would describe Taizé as a place to become more in touch with yourself and your faith.”
“I think what I enjoyed the most was the singing. Hearing the voices of hundreds of people resonate harmonically worth each other added a sort of ethereal feel that lent itself to the atmosphere within the main church.
“My biggest take away from my time there is probably that there’s always something to learn from interacting with people from different backgrounds and environments. With Taizé being an ecumenical community, it meant I was able to speak with people from various countries, so I was given a bit of insight into some of our cultural differences.”
Seun is hoping to begin a career as a concept artist in the games and film industry. And his tip for anyone interested in joining the pilgrimage next year? Pack snacks and sunscreen.
Lucy, who is 18 and has just finished her A levels, was on her first trip to Taizé. “Some of the things I enjoyed the most were learning Taizé chants during the church services, meeting so many people, exploring local towns and villages, and how relaxed everything was,” she said.
“I learned to slow down and allow time for reflection in my everyday routine. Also, I learned how to communicate with others effectively through Taizé English!”
Lucy and Seun and the rest of the group stayed in tents on the Taizé campsite alongside young people from around the world, taking part in worship, Bible studies, discussion groups, shared meals and practical activities each day.
The Bishop of Norwich, the Rt Revd Graham Usher, led the group of 18-29-year-olds from his diocese.
He said: “The life of simplicity and prayer of the brothers of Taizé, including their unique style of worship, has been formative in my own life and I love to be able to take young adults on pilgrimage to share that experience and see how God will shape them through the week.
“I had the privilege of having lunch with the brothers a couple of times. We sat outside at one long, 50 metre table under an awning. The food was simple and delicious, the conversations rich and loving. It is one of the most beautiful meals I attend and makes my heart sing. I loved also seeing young adults from this diocese absorbed in the life of prayer, returning late at night just to sit quietly in the church. What a joy it was to be with them.”
The Taizé community was founded near Cluny in 1940 by a monk from Switzerland. Today it is home to around 100 monks from many catholic and protestant traditions, and temporary home to more than 100,000 young pilgrims every year.
Anyone interested in joining the next pilgrimage group from the Diocese of Norwich to Taizé next July can find out more by emailing taize.pilgrimage@dioceseofnorwich.org
