The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, is leading over 100 students and staff from schools in Yorkshire on a pilgrimage to Taizé.

The group will depart from Manor CE Academy on the 13th July, returning the following weekend.

The Yorkshire Schools Pilgrimage, coordinated by the Archbishop of York Youth Trust, includes students from Abbey Grange Academy, Archbishop Holgate’s School, Barlby High, Bishop Young Academy and Manor CE Academy. All of the young people joining the trip have taken part in the Youth Trust’s Young Leaders Award, which facilitates development of leadership skills and character virtues, whilst giving opportunities to run social action projects in their local communities.

The Young Leaders will be writing daily reflections on their experiences at Taizé which will be available at abyyt.com/taize. Students who have previously attended the pilgrimage have shared in the joys of making new friends, of volunteering, the openness of the community at Taizé and of exploring questions of faith.

Archbishop Sentamu said:

“I am looking forward to the 2019 Yorkshire Schools pilgrimage to Taizé. The community are so welcoming - it is an extraordinary place of simplicity and compassion. I have always returned blessed, encouraged and inspired by others. My prayer is that the Young Leaders from the Yorkshire schools will be refreshed by the spirit of the Taizé Community and that the profound atmosphere of peace and prayer will encourage them in their journey with God. With God, everything is possible!”

Dan Finn, CEO of the Archbishop of York Youth Trust said:

“Taizé really is a community like no other. You can’t help but come away changed, refreshed and challenged. There is something offered for everyone, with opportunities to meet people from across the globe, worship with the community and pray in small groups. The Young Leaders joining us have done a fantastic job serving others through the Young Leaders Award and I am so excited to see how the Taizé community will refresh and benefit them.”

Founded in 1940 by Brother Roger, the Taizé community is based in the south-west of France. The Taizé community is an ecumenical monastic order of mainly Catholic and Protestant communities drawn together from more than 30 countries across the world, some people visit for a short time while others, planning to do that, have been so touched by Taizé that they dedicate the rest of their lives to God in that place. Every year in Schools Weeks such as this one over 100,000 young people from around the world make their pilgrimages of trust and reconciliation, prayer, bible study and communal work.

For more information about the Taizé community, visit their website here.

Keep up to date with the latest daily blog from the young people here.