Reopening of Notre-Dame: A place of hope and faith!

Reopening of Notre-Dame: A place of hope and faith!

Notre-Dame, Paris, Frankreich - On December 7, 2024, the Paris Cathedral of Notre-Dame was reopened, five years after the devastating fire from 2019, which had destroyed large parts of the historical building. The Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, opened the cathedral under the bell ringing of the large bell "Emmanuel" with a symbolic knock on the door of the main portal. Around 3,000 invited guests, including international heads of state such as the designated US President Donald Trump and the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, were present. In his speech, President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that the cathedral was a symbol of hope and departure according to the tragedy, and praised the performance of the many helpers who contributed to the restoration.

rebirth of a symbol

Macron recalled the dramatic moments of the fire and explained: "Tonight the bells of Notre-Dame ring again." Archbishop Ulrich also thanked the firefighters who courageously saved the masterpiece. During the ceremony, a message was read by Pope Francis, in which he described the reopening as the "prophetic sign of resuming". The facade of the cathedral was also illuminated with the word "thank you" in different languages, which emphasized gratitude and international support.

The Notre-Dame is a landmark of Paris and is considered a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. It was first built in 1163 and attracted 12 to 14 million visitors a year before the fire. Their important cultural and historical heritage, which last shines again after a comprehensive restoration, was threatened by the fire, but the quick and well-organized reconstruction testifies to the commitment of the French state and the international community, such as wikipedia " reports .