The Archbishop of Paris reopened Notre Dame Cathedral on Saturday by symbolically knocking on the doors and entering the 12th-century landmark, which has been restored after a devastating fire in 2019.
Dressed in new designer clothes and carrying a stick cut from one of the ceiling beams that survived the inferno, Laurent Ulrich joined hundreds of VIPs inside the Gothic masterpiece for the two-hour ceremony.
Ulrich ordered the cathedral to “open its doors” and he entered the lavishly restored building.
With US President-elect Donald Trump sitting next to French President Emmanuel Macron in the front row as the guest of honor, invitees were surprised to see freshly cleaned walls, new furniture and state-of-the-art lighting as part of the cathedral’s overhaul.
Outside, a small crowd of Parisians and tourists braved wet weather and high winds to witness the renaissance of a beloved monument that was close to being completely destroyed by the fire that brought down its roof and spire.
“I find it really beautiful, and now that the spire has been restored it seems even more beautiful,” Marie Jean, a 27-year-old dentist from southwestern France, told AFP.
The reconstruction effort, costing about 700 million euros ($750 million), financed by donations, has been predicted to take decades to reopen within the five-year deadline set by Macron. Was.
Workers have had to contend with lead pollution, the COVID-19 pandemic and the army general overseeing the project who died while hiking in the Pyrenees last year.
“This is a cathedral like we have never seen before,” Philippe Jost, who took over as project manager last year, told FranceInfo radio. He said he was proud to “show the whole world” what a “great collective success and a source of.” Pride for all of France”.
Saturday’s service will include prayers, organ music and hymns from the cathedral’s choir.
A public concert planned in front of the cathedral that would include Chinese pianist Lang Lang and possibly American singer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams had to be pre-recorded for Friday night due to stormy weather.
– ‘Do the impossible’ –
Hailed by Macron as an example of French creativity and resilience, Notre Dame’s renaissance came shortly after the fire at a difficult time for the country.
The sense of national achievement in restoring the icon of Paris has been tempered by political turmoil, which has left France without a proper government since last week, when Prime Minister Michel Barnier lost a vote of confidence.
Macron is hoping the reopening can provide a fleeting sense of national pride and unity — as happened at the Paris Olympics in July and August.
The scale of the huge security operation was also reminiscent of the Olympics – with around 6,000 police officers and gendarmes deployed.
“The reopening is proof that we know how to do grand things, we know how to do the impossible,” Macron said in a televised address to the nation on Thursday.
He is set to address the congregation during Saturday’s ceremony.
Trump show?
Macron has scored a major coup by luring visiting US President Donald Trump for his first foreign trip since his re-election.
Another 40 heads of state and government are also in attendance, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who was greeted by applause as he entered Notre Dame, as well as British heir to the throne Prince William.
Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the presidential palace shortly before the ceremony, which were expected to discuss future U.S. military support for Ukraine’s war effort against Russian aggression.
Trump has vowed to end the nearly three-year Ukraine war when he takes office, sparking fears in Kiev that he will force Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia, which Zelensky is opposed to.
“It feels like the world is going a little crazy right now and we’re going to talk about it,” Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for talks with Macron.
Among those surprisingly absent Saturday was Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church.
He sent a message addressed to the French people that was destined to be read.
The exact cause of the 2019 fire has never been identified, despite a forensic investigation by prosecutors who believe an accident such as an electrical fault was the most likely cause.
On Sunday, a first mass with 170 bishops and more than 100 Paris priests will take place at 10:30 a.m. (0930 GMT), followed by a second mass at 6:30 p.m. that will be open to the public.
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