40,000 youths gather in Geneva for Taizé prayers

Around 40,000 young adults from across Europe and beyond will gather in Geneva on Friday for five days of prayer and reflection.

On their arrival, the young delegates will each receive a letter from Brother Alois, the successor of the late leader and founder of the Taizé Community, Brother Roger, who was tragically murdered in front of his own congregation of 2,500 young people in 2005.

The "Letter from Cochabamba" was written in Bolivia during a recent Latin American meeting organised by the Taizé Community and will serve as a basis of reflection throughout the gathering.

The letter asks the young people meeting across 160 different venues in Geneva and the surrounding area whether it is possible to find ways of listening to each other in situations of conflict, and whether there is a means of ensuring a fairer sharing of resources.

It also challenges the delegates on issues of forgiveness and to engage with people in poverty.

The meeting has been organised in collaboration with the Catholic and Protestant Churches and the tens of thousands of youths will be hosted by families in Geneva and the surrounding towns.

Two other texts will be presented to participants by Brother Alois, each translated into 26 languages.

One of the documents calls for reconciliation among Christians. In it, Brother Alois states, "In Christ we belong to one another. When Christians are separated, the message of the gospel becomes inaudible."

In the other text, entitled "Letter to those who want to follow Christ", Brother Alois states, "God calls you to freedom. He does not turn you into someone who is passive. By his Holy Spirit God dwells within you, yet does not take your place. On the contrary, God awakens unsuspected energies."

The gathering will run until January 1.