Biography
Born on 12th May 1915 near Neuchatel (Switzerland).
From 1935 to 1939 he studied Theology at the universities of Lausanne and Strasbourg.
Settlement in Taizé (1940; southern Burgundy/France), Founder (1949) and Prior of the Protestant monastic community Communauté Taizé. Brotherliness and reconciliation between nations and denominations form the core of the community’s objective.
After beginning an intensive exchange of opinions and ideas with the Vatican (1958) he received an invitation to attend the Second Vatican Council (1962). His order became increasingly popular amongst young people from all parts of Europe; more than 40,000 young people attended the Youth Council which took place in Taizé in 1974. Since then tens of thousands of young people from all over the world meet every year in the context of a European Pilgrimage in changing European cities (1993 in Munich). Brothers from different denominations and from many different countries belong to the ecumenical monastic community.
Died on 16th August 2005.