Yesterday, we celebrated 25 years of the Chapel for Europe — and what a celebration it was! More than a date, it felt like a living thanksgiving, glowing with gratitude.

So many came — from every season of the Chapel’s life — and the air was rich with reunions, laughter, and the kind of embraces that say, “I’ve missed you,” without a word. It was as if the walls themselves were smiling, holding every prayer, every whispered hope, every quiet conversation that’s ever found its way into this space.

We stood together — not as guests, but as companions on the same journey — with our ecumenical partner churches and interfaith friends. And in that joy, the Chapel revealed itself again: not just a house of prayer, but a home where people lay down their burdens and find the quiet joy of meeting God, and one another. A place where faiths don’t just coexist, but lean toward each other in trust; where stillness isn’t empty, but full — brimming with presence.

Here, in the heart of the European Quarter, where decisions shape continents, this small sanctuary remains a place of peace, a gentle call to pause before we speak, to pray before we act, and to remember — before we divide — that we belong to one another.

And above all, we give deep thanks to everyone who came and shared this day with us — for the stories you brought, the presence you offered, and the way you helped make this anniversary not just a memory, but a living moment. A special gratitude to the musicians, too, whose music didn’t just fill the air, but lifted our hearts — each note a quiet prayer, each melody a thread of joy that carried us through the day.

Here’s to 25 years of grace — and to many more, blessed with song, hope, and the kind of joy that only grows when it’s shared.

When, in the 1980s and 1990s, the European Union was reshaping an entire district of Brussels with its buildings and institutions, an initiative was launched by European leaders and the Jesuits to ensure that churches would also form an integral part of this new Europe. ‘Europe needs a soul,’ remarked Commission President Jacques Delors at the time. The small chapel, attached to a former convent, was already falling into disrepair. It was acquired and renovated at great expense. It was then consecrated in September 2001.

Twenty-five years on, we look back and look ahead. Jérôme Vignon, the Chapel’s first president, once again highlighted the founding vision. Fr Bernd Günther SJ, the Chapel’s current director, noted that the core principles of the Chapel’s mission have lost none of their significance: Engaging with Europe, spirituality and pastoral care for the Europeans in Brussels, and ecumenism have been key priorities since the very beginning; over the years, interfaith cooperation has been added to these. The future of the Chapel, of Europe and of the Churches will also be shaped by these challenges.

However, it was not the speeches that defined the evening, but the ecumenical prayer involving Protestant, Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox bishops and church leaders. Lively music, heartfelt prayers of thanksgiving and a great blessing for the future made the celebration a deeply moving occasion. Twenty-five flowers, brought by people from various groups and phases within the Chapel community, were woven together into a single colourful bouquet, bearing witness to the Chapel’s diversity and vitality. The evening brought together people from the Chapel’s early years with the young people who now attend its services and activities. A closing reception, filled with many encounters, seemed to go on forever.