THE VIALE EUROPE AND THE BEGUINAGE
Hello, welcome to the Viale Europe
La Viale Europe is in the centre of the European quarter of Brussels. It is a community of a few Jesuits and about twenty young professionals or trainees, ready to live a regular rhythm of prayer and a rich community life. It is an unusual place to deepen one’s relationship with God through prayer and the joy of sharing. Every day the residents eat and pray together. They commit themselves to supporting the community through small daily services.
Attached to this community, the Beguinage is a grouping of Christian shared housing. It is a place where several individual dwellings are grouped together.
This concept dates back to the Middle Ages and was initiated by the Beguines to allow women who were considering religious life to live together in a community dedicated to prayer. The houses, which could accommodate one or three people, were located around a central church. Until the 19th century, the Beguines lived a religious life similar to that of the religious.
The Beguinage project, initiated by Guy Martinot, was born out of the observation that the number of Christians was decreasing and therefore that lay people needed to form groups of Christians around the church to share their way of living their faith. Today, the beguinage comprises about twenty houses with residents who all carry this Christian faith and this desire to live together.