The young people, gathered in the French capital from December 28 to January 1, received messages from several religious and political figures such as Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the World Council of Churches and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The participants, including a thousand Ukrainians and around sixty pilgrims from Egypt, are welcomed in families and parishes.
Giovanni Zavatta – Vatican City
Several messages were sent to the 15,000 young people who, from this Sunday, December 28, and until Thursday, January 1, are meeting in Paris and Île-de-France for the 48th European meeting organized, like every end of the year, by the Taizé Community. In his wishes to the participants of the event, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew wished this: “Dear young people, the world needs your clear vision, your courage and your capacity for hope. It needs young peacemakers, capable of resisting violence, exclusion and contempt for others. He needs witnesses of a humble faith, conceived not as power but as service. In the Orthodox tradition, we like to remember that the true strength of Christians is manifested in love given unconditionally and in fidelity to one’s neighbor.».
“What are you looking for?”
Table of Contents
Words were also sent from the General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, Anne Burghardt, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, Jerry Pillay, the President of the Conference of European Churches, Archbishop Nikitas, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, the Secretary of the World Christian Forum, Casely Baiden Essamuah, the General Secretary of the World Evangelical Alliance, Botrus Mansour, the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The texts recall the title and meaning of the letter for 2026 written by the prior of Taizé, Brother Matthew, which takes up the question “What are you looking for?” posed by Jesus to his first disciples in the Gospel of John 1, 38. This letter serves as a common thread during the three central days of the meeting (December 29-31).
Listen to the voices of those who suffer
But what are young people aged 18 to 35 looking for who are preparing to participate in this 48th European meeting? In his letter to young people, Brother Matthew responds by proposing some essential and fundamental elements: silence, direction, joy, meaning, a just world, community, peace. “Listen to the voices of those who suffer because of the deadly conflicts or violence we face in our societies,” writes the prior, who follows each reflection with suggestions and advice: “Staying in touch with people living in war zones can be one way to do this. Support those fighting for justice in countries with oppressive regimes or hawkish governments. Would any of these people be willing to share their testimony? Organize a prayer vigil for peace and share some of these testimonies. Brother Matthew then returned to the events of the past year: the visits to Taizé of young people from Ukraine, Palestine, Lebanon, Nicaragua, Burma and other places of war and conflict; testimonies from people who work in Gaza or who have relatives living there; time spent with brothers from the communities of Brazil and Cuba. “Our world is full of beauty, but also injustice. Where do I fit into all of this? What am I being asked to do?”
The program of the days
Among the participants, a thousand Ukrainians will be present; around sixty pilgrims are also expected from Egypt. All will be welcomed into families or accommodated in parishes. The program includes morning prayer followed by sharing in small groups and a meeting with the “witnesses of hope”, midday prayer in the large churches in the center of Paris – Notre-Dame, Saint-Sulpice, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Saint-Ignace, Saint-François-Xavier -, thematic workshops in around fifty places, finally the common evening prayer at the Accor Arena in Bercy with the meditations of Brother Matthew. On the evening of the 31st, vigil followed by the “Nations Day”. New Year’s Eve evening will be for everyone a moment of prayer for peace and intercultural encounters in the host parishes – an original way of celebrating the transition to the New Year, in a spirit of celebration and fraternity.
