UCCH Evening Service in the Spirit of Taizé

Taizé services will resume on Sunday, September 23, at 5PM, and will continue on the fourth Sunday of each month at 5PM.

What is a Taizé prayer service like?

Taizé's prayer services — and others in this style — are constructed around scripture readings, silence, and song.

Music from Taizé is simple and repetitive, so that it can serve as a vehicle for meditation. The chants are frequently sung in Latin, as well as a wide range of modern languages, reflecting the international character of the community.

The worship space is simple, and the lighting is subdued, with candles and icons serving as a visual focus for the prayer.

Friday services often include a 'prayer around the cross,' in which the cross is removed from the altar and laid on the ground so members of the congregation can kneel or sit by it while they pray.

Most services in this style are quietly joyous, but those at Taizé are rather less quiet than most. The songs that carry and focus the prayer in a small congregation can be completely overwhelming when sung by several thousand passionate, committed young people.

Taizé resources

Other local Taizé-style services

If you know of other such services in the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, & Chapel Hill), please let us know.