Taizé, via Dijon

I haven't posted for a while for a couple of reasons,  the main one being that access to wifi has been erratic.  I now need to recap on my journey for the last couple of weeks.  I don't have sufficient wifi to add pictures tto this post - I hope I can add them in the next day or so.

When I left Vezelay my foot was still sore and after going only a couple of kilometres I realised I would be foolish to continue, and decided I would need to catch a bus.  The bus stop just happened to be outside the Marie, or the Mayor's office.  I had decided that I would go on to a little village and stay there a while, but the staff decided for me that my plan was flawed and instead I should retrace my steps to Semezelles, the Vezelay station, and from there, via Avallon go to Dijon.  It would then be easier to move forward when I was ready.  I spent most of the day waiting for the next bus, but eventually was able to limp my way to the hotel I'd booked in Dijon - far be it for me to not follow directions!

Looking back at Vezelay

Église Notre-Dame de Saint-Père, Saint-Pere

My foot was still really sore while I was there, and so my exploration of the city was somewhat limited. 

Église Saint-Bénigne, Dijon

Dijon

After 4 days in Dijon, I then made my way to Taizé for 2 nights.  They only had room for me for 2 nights, as they were expecting an influx of 2,000 young people on the Sunday.

Taizé.  What an extraordinary place.  I couldn't stop smiling when I arrived, thinking I had somehow landed at a Scout Jamboree, and indeed later I told someone it struck me as being a cross between a Scout Jamboree and a Billy Graham crusade, without the fervour.  As an aside, there were a number of Scout troops there I estimate that there were about 2,000 young people (their definition of 17 - 30 year olds) and possibly as many as 2 - 300 adults (anyone over 30).  The machinary running the place was just like a jamboree, even down to the use of trek carts, duty roster and so on.  The food was simple, but sufficient.  We would line up at the meal time, a song would be sung, and then each person was served, in order, with a tray, a bowl type plate, the French style coffee bowl (big enough for a dessert, but used for a drink in this instance), a spoon, and then the food (a serving of pasta etc), a piece of bread, and a piece of fruit.  I became adept at spreading butter (at breakfast  - the only time we got it) with the back of a spoon, the only cutlery we were issued.

The trek cart in action.

Serving the food...

...and the queue

The kitchen

And the crowd waiting for Sunday lunch

There were three church services each day, and everyone filed into the building, some 2,500 of us!  I have read somewhere that it can hold up to 6,000.  

Before the service begins ...

... and near the end

What is Taizé?  Firstly Taizé is a small village in Burgundy, with a population of about 100 people.  It is next door to another small village called Almuhey, and in between these two villages is the complex known as Taizé.   

This map that is given to everyone on arrival gives you some idea of the layout.

The bell tower ( the bells ring for about 10 - 15 minutes before each service), and some of the buildings. 

My dormitory, which I was lucky enough to have to myself

A small part of the village of Taizé 

It is an  extraordinary place, buildings housing dormitories which hold 6 - 8, tents for sleeping, massive tents for eating, the adults met and ate in F tent, large rooms for meetings, huge parking areas, for cars and buses, and, the only place where alcohol could be purchased, the Oyak.  The casa is the welcome office.

It all began in 1940 when Brother Roger came there from Switzerland to assist refugees and people in trouble because of the war.  Several years later he had to flee as the authorities became aware of what he was doing, returning later when it was safe again.  Gradually as the years progressed he was joined by other like minded men, wanting to live a simple life, and through simple ecumenical worship practices encourage peace.  As the Order increased in size, young (and old) people from around the world started to flock there.  Sadly Brother Roger was murdered, during a church service in 2005 at the age of 90.  His work continues, with a hundred monks participating in the order.  The monks accept no donations, but have a store, from which they support themselves.

One of the hallmarks of a Taizé service is the music.  Simple chants in many languages, but a lot in latin, led by the monks, all, it seems to me, with lovely voices.  I have tried inserting a video - not for the video, but to give you an idea of the music.

Not for the video, but so you can hear the bells

I was going to tell you about Cluny,  where I have been for the last three nights, but that will have to wait until next time.  Suffice it to say that tomorrow I intend to start walking again as I think my foot is nearly there.  How far I walk remains to be seen though - I have no intention of exacerbating my injury.

More next time