The Pope has hailed the founder of the Taizé Community as "a tireless witness of the Gospel of peace and reconciliation" on the 10th anniversary of his death. Francis praised Brother Roger's efforts to promote Christian unity in a message that also marked the 75th anniversary of Taizé's foundation. Pope Francis said: “Passionately seeking the unity of the Church, Brother Roger opened the treasures deposited in the various Christian traditions. “By the perseverance he demonstrated during his long life, he helped to change relations among still-separated Christians, tracing for many a path of reconciliation.” Brother Roger was stabbed to death by a mentally ill Romanian woman during an evening prayer service on August 16, 2005. The Swiss Protestant pastor founded the ecumenical Taizé Community, in Burgundy, France, in 1940. He drew close to the Catholic Church and his funeral was celebrated by Cardinal Walter Kasper, then president of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. The community welcomes thousands of young people from around the world every week.