Taizé Worship

What is Taizé worship?

It has been said, “The experience of Taizé here is nothing like it is in Taizé, France”.

But what really happens in Taizé, France, is the communal prayer.  You see, Taizé will sound different in any part of the world, in different churches and denominations, but the point of Taizé is that it is a way of listening to God through silence and singing, the words breaking down resistance until we become aware of a deeper sense of self.

When Taizé becomes anything different than listening with the ear of the Spirit and singing with the voice of the Spirit – it becomes a mere performance. Taizé prayer services are comprised of silence and song, candlelight and stillness, prayer and contemplation. The music is unique and distinctive. Taizé chants feature deceptively simple refrains that are repeated, mantra-like, by the whole congregation. The music is accessible, participatory, and meditative. All who attend these services are invited to stop, pray, and use the silence and meditative music as opportunity to listen to the “still, small voice” within. The mind calms and the soul opens up. God speaks and the heart hears.