Taizé Community
The Taizé Community
A place of listening, reconciliation and silence
In 1940, in a small village in Burgundy, on a gentle hill not far from Cluny, something profoundly unusual arose. The young Swiss theology student Roger Schutz, later known as Brother Roger, settled in Taizé to offer shelter to people in need. What began as a welcoming of refugees became a lifelong project: From this act of solidarity developed a community that continues to attract people from all over the world today – the Taizé Community .
Brother Roger's idea was as simple as it was radical: a community that sets a sign of reconciliation in a torn world. Between denominations, nations, and people. Today, the community numbers about 100 brothers, Catholics and Protestants from more than 50 countries. They live together, share possessions, prayer, and work. What unites them is not a dogmatic consensus, but a lived practice of trust, silence, and service to others.
A living ecumenism
Taizé is not a monastery in the traditional sense. The brothers do not take perpetual vows; they belong to different churches and retain their denominational identities. Nevertheless, they strive for visible unity. For Brother Roger, this unity was not a theological theory, but a spiritual need: "We want to be a reflection of the undivided Church." For " Can Christians speak of love as long as they are not united in a visible community?"
In Taizé, this community becomes tangible week after week. Thousands of young people from all over the world travel here for prayer, silence, conversation, and community living. There are no lectures, no ready-made answers. Instead, the questions that really matter are: "What sustains me in life?" "What can I give?" "What does hope mean in concrete terms?" The brothers accompany this search with great patience, without directing it.
Spirituality in simplicity
Three times a day, all visitors gather in the Church of Reconciliation for meditative prayer with the well-known hymns from Taizé . These hymns are both simple and powerful: a Bible verse, a melody, repeated in silence and devotion. Over the decades, they have been translated into many languages and are now heard in thousands of places around the world, in slums, cathedrals, youth centers, and chapels.
But Taizé is more than its music. It is a space where diversity does not divide, but unites. A place that offers not a spiritual service, but a shared path.
The brothers themselves live simply. They accept no donations, keep no inheritances, and finance themselves exclusively through their own work.
The Community today
The brothers of Taizé are not only active in France. They also live in small fraternities in places of great poverty in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and currently also in Ukraine. Everywhere, they seek closeness to people who are marginalized or have lost everything, accompanying them in their daily lives, without conditions or proselytizing. The spirit of Taizé is quiet but constant: It works through listening, through trust, through a gentle presence.
Over the years, Taizé has grown into a worldwide network. In many countries, Taizé meetings, youth prayers, and encounters are held, driven by the desire to sow trust where mistrust is growing. Amid the confusion of our times, the community reminds us that spirituality does not mean withdrawal, but rather living responsibility.
Why we are connected
La Poterie de Taizé is part of this special place. The brothers have been making ceramics for decades. They do this quietly and with great care, using materials provided by the earth around Taizé. Working with clay is more than a source of income. It is an expression of the community's spirituality: patience, simplicity, devotion. All of this is also evident in the work they do with their own hands.
Our collaboration with the brothers is characterized by trust and a shared understanding: Quality arises from mindfulness. Beauty doesn't require grand gestures. And work can be a prayer. We are very grateful to be able to work with this wonderful community and look forward to a visit to the monastery every year. You, too, are cordially invited to Taizé to experience community with the brothers.
Literature references:
www.logo-buch.de/logo-aktiv/wissensbibliothek/christliches-lexikon/taize
www.vivat.de/magazin/christliches-leben/geistliche-autoren/taize-bedeutung/
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The production process
In our workshop, every step is carefully executed by hand – from mixing the clay to the final glaze firing. The clay is produced, shaped, and dried in the monastery itself before being fired at over 1000°C. Each glaze is also mixed and applied on-site, and fired a second time at up to 1200°C. This creates stoneware ceramics that retain their beauty for a long time and possess a tangible depth.
Our glazes
Our glazes are made from natural minerals and are developed and produced directly at the monastery. They reflect the surroundings and tranquility of Taizé.
There are ten different glazes, each with its own color scheme, surface, and mood: Blue, Blue Mat, Silver Grey, Bresse Wood, Gousseau, Yellow, Noisette, Omnia, Red Kaki, and Temokku. No two pieces are exactly alike—and that's precisely what makes them so vibrant.
sustainability
We work exclusively with natural raw materials. Our ceramics are durable, timeless, and crafted to last for years. We also strive for environmentally friendly solutions in packaging and shipping. We believe that sustainability begins with the material and ends with conscious use.
History behind La Poterie de Taizé
La Poterie de Taizé is rooted in a special history: For decades, in the Taizé community, pottery was part of a simple, mindful life and a silent symbol of connection with nature. When the pandemic brought local life to a standstill, a new idea emerged: to bring Taizé ceramics to the world via Salzburg. Thus, in 2021, our brand was born, combining traditional craftsmanship with new approaches. Today, with every piece, we carry forward the values that have shaped us: sustainability, meaning, and authentic craftsmanship.
Our team
Behind every La Poterie de Taizé product are people with a shared conviction: that valuable things require time, dedication, and attention. Whether in the workshop in Taizé, the warehouse in Salzburg, or our store in Vienna: we work on a small scale for something big. And we do this as a small but cohesive team.
Get to know the team
Taizé Community
The Taizé Community is an international ecumenical brotherhood in southern Burgundy, founded in 1940 by Brother Roger as a place of peace, silence, and reconciliation. Today, brothers of different denominations live there together, united by prayer, simplicity, and service to others. Their spirituality is expressed not in words, but in lived trust—including in the quiet, artisanal work with clay.
Learn more about the community