Rostock (dpa/mv) – At the start of the 45th European youth meeting of the Christian-ecumenical Taizé community, young people from numerous European countries arrived in Rostock on Wednesday. According to a spokesman, many groups traveled by bus and train. In the evening, a first joint evening prayer is on the program at the central event location of the HanseMesse.
4,000 young adults from 49 countries are expected to attend the youth meeting, which lasts until Sunday. There are also 1000 day visitors. The participants arriving from abroad are accommodated in Rostock and the surrounding area with hundreds of host families at a total of 36 host locations. The vast majority of guests come from Germany with 2,600, followed by Poland (650), Croatia (250) and France (240). Former Federal President Joachim Gauck will take part in the meeting on Friday.
The Europe and Culture Minister Bettina Martin (SPD), who is responsible for churches and religious communities in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, described the ecumenical gathering as an important sign of peace, understanding and reconciliation in the current crisis. Martin will also take part in a workshop on Friday.
The Swiss Roger Schutz founded the community in Taizé in eastern France during World War II. Brother Roger was stabbed to death by a mentally ill woman in 2005. His successor as Prior of the community, which includes 90 brothers from more than 30 nations, is Brother Alois Löser, who was born in Nördlingen and grew up in Stuttgart. The Taizé community is known for its catchy songs, which have been translated into many languages.
