Nearly 2,000 people participated in a community prayer at the Sagrada Familia on Saturday, November 7, with the prior of Taizé. The gathering coincided with the 16th anniversary of the temple's dedication.
Almost 2,000 people gathered on Saturday November 7 at the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia for a community prayer led by Brother Matthew, prior of the ecumenical community of Taizé. The event coincided with the 16th anniversary of the dedication of the Barcelona temple.
According to catalunyareligio.cat, the organization was handled by members of Acollida Barcelona, including Rebeca Molinero. Other brothers from the community, including the Catalan Bernat Soler, accompanied the prior.
The celebration was primarily aimed at young people, although open to everyone, and sought a space for silence, reflection, and communion. Molinero, who welcomed attendees at the beginning, explains that people from various generations attended.
“The Taizé tradition in Catalonia is so rooted that there were also quite a few adults present.”
For the organizer, the attendance reflects the bond that many people have with the community and the impact that the gatherings have left on young people.
The prayer aimed to recreate the atmosphere of those held in Taizé, France, with singing, silence, and contemplation. Many young people sat on the carpet, in front of the Christ in the Passion Facade room, while icons and lighting accompanied the liturgy.
Molinero highlights the participation of the choir and how the singing created a shared experience. She also emphasizes the involvement of volunteers, who, according to her, responded immediately to every need.
“It was very easy to find people willing to get involved.”
On Sunday, some members of the community visited the parish of Geltrú in Vilanova i la Geltrú, where they shared another gathering with the faithful. For the organizer, this continuity allowed for further discussion about Taizé and reinforced the bonds created in Barcelona.
Molinero acknowledges that the preparation had moments of difficulty and differences among the people involved. Nevertheless, she believes that the prayer helped to put those issues into a different perspective.
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