The international Christian ecumenical brotherhood of Taizé was founded in 1949 in Burgundy, France. Roger Schutz (1915-2005) caught Jewish people in hiding in his home in 1940. In 1942, the Gestapo tracked him down, but Schutz escaped. In 1944, he started taking in people again. This time prisoners of war and orphans. Together, Schutz and his associates formed a general religious community. In 1949, they decided to enter monastic life. The group grew to more than 100 brothers.

Frère Roger was stabbed by a woman during a prayer service in 2005. He did not survive the attack. Brother Alois succeeded him. Taizé is a community that looks after itself and does not accept donations, grants or bequests. The community brings hope and support according to the Gospel. It focused its attention mainly on Eastern Bloc countries. In recent years the community has also been active in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Taizé helps and cares for refugees and others in need for the day in these areas. Every year since 1978, young people have met in major European cities. These gatherings attract many visitors from all over the world. In 2010, Rotterdam was the host city.