Paris was buzzing with excitement after the lover Notre Dame Cathedral reopened after a devastating fire.
The April 2019 fire broke out in the roof of the church and destroyed it its iconic spire and damaging the roof and upper walls of the cathedral. Restoration work Since then, work has been going on on the 860-year-old building.
Although more work needs to be done to improve the restored medieval cathedral can dominate the Paris skyline for centuries to come, the church opened its doors to the public on Saturday. Demand for entry was huge, with people coming from far and wide to the streets of Paris waiting for the cathedral to reopen.
Louise Delmotte / AP
What happened when Notre Dame Cathedral reopened?
The doors of Notre Dame were opened in a traditional ceremony by Laurent Ulrich, the Archbishop of Paris. He knocked on the heavy front doors of the medieval church with a staff or staff. According to the Associated Press, the staff was made from wood taken from the cathedral’s charred roof.
A psalm was sung from the cathedral. The cathedral’s 8,000 pipe organ was also used to respond to the archbishop’s invocation, while four organists performed, the AP reported. After the psalm had been sung three times, the doors opened.
Guests entered through the cathedral’s western facade for a ceremony “steeped in history,” the AP reported. It was followed by a pre-recorded star-studded concert that included cellist Yo-Yo Ma, according to the Associated Press. The performances focused on a message of harmony that celebrated the cathedral’s resurrection and its role as a place of refuge.
Ulrich and other members of the clergy wore vibrant liturgical clothing designed by famed French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Castelbajac combined modern elements with medieval touches on colorful pieces for more than 700 partygoers, the AP reported.
Stéphane de Sakutin / AP
In a speech at the cathedral on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his “gratitude” to those who saved, helped and rebuilt Notre Dame, as his voice echoed through the nave.
“I stand before you… to express the gratitude of the French nation,” he said.
“Tonight the bells of Notre Dame will ring again. And in a moment the organ will awaken,” sending the “music of hope” flowing through its luminous interior to Parisians, France and the world beyond, he said. the AP.
On Sunday, Ulrich will lead an inaugural mass at the cathedral. He will dedicate Notre Dame’s new contemporary altar, which replaces it crushed by the spire in the fire of 2019.
The restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral inspires a new generation
As flames engulfed Notre Dame on that spring day in 2019, many feared that even if the cathedral survived the fire, the skills needed to restore it would have been long lost. But there turned out to be many more traditional craftsmen and women quietly working in France, and soon one army of craftsmen was established to restore the historical monument. According to decorative painter Camille Schmoeker, it was an assignment of a lifetime.
“Every day my colleagues and I were pinching ourselves, like, ‘We’re here,’” said Schmoeker, who described her job as touching up makeup at the work of stonemasons. “It’s satisfying to know that I helped create something better than it was, and that it will last a lifetime.”
Chief architect Philippe Villeneuve said the restoration shone a new light on the traditional way of working in construction and restoration. American carpenter Hank Silverwho worked to rebuild the cathedral’s wooden roof, said the fire had a surprising effect on him and other workers.
Thanks to Hank Zilver
‘It may be a bit of a controversial point to say, but in many ways this fire has been a great gift, not just for me personally, but for young people who would otherwise never know they would have an opportunity. career as a traditional carpenter, stonemason and mason. These professions are back in the public eye,” said Silver. “I don’t think you can really do anything better with your life.”
For the artisans who have dedicated the past half-decade of their lives to rebuilding the historic site, the reopening is a bittersweet moment.
“I never thought I would do something like this,” says apprentice roofer Mael Testas.
“I feel like it’s my little baby in a way, and now it’s all grown up,” Silver said. “Now everyone will be able to visit.”
Louise Delmotte / AP
World leaders, including Trump, gather at Notre Dame
Many world leaders will be among the 1,500 guests attending the reopening celebration at Notre Dame. President Biden will not attend, but first lady Jill Biden will appear. President-elect Donald Trump will also be present. They, as well as leaders and dignitaries including England’s Prince William and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will be greeted by the French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron, who has had to deal with it political unrest in recent dayswas behind the ambitious decision to complete the cathedral’s restoration in just five years. Donations from around the world helped speed the rebuilding process. Americans were the most generous donors, with 45,000 US citizens donating a total of $75 million. The reconstruction cost about 700 million euros, or $737 million.
The reopening marks Trump’s first international trip since he was re-elected in November. He will meet Macron and Prince William during his stay in Paris. It was not immediately clear whether Trump would meet with Zelenskyy, but the French president and other European leaders would trying to convince Trump to continue supporting Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
