The president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, announced plans to travel to Paris this Saturday, December 7, to attend the grand reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, which would be his first visit abroad since he won the presidential election. in November.
Trump made the announcement on your Truth Social platform: “I am honored to announce that I will be traveling to Paris, France, on Saturday to attend the reopening of the magnificent and historic Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been completely restored after a devastating fire five years ago.”
Receive the main news from ACI Prensa by WhatsApp and Telegram
It is increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channels today:
He also praised French President Emmanuel Macron, saying he had done a “wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its highest level of glory, and even more. It will be a very special day for everyone!” Macron was one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Trump after his election victory last month.
The reopening will be a maximum security event. Some 6,000 police officers and members of the gendarmerie will be deployed on Saturday and Sunday for the event, which is expected to be attended by about 50 heads of state and government, Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez said in a statement. press conference.
Pope Francis said in September that he would not attend.
The City Islandwhere Notre Dame is located in the middle of the Seine River, will be accessible only to guests and residents of the island, Núñez added. There will be space for 40,000 spectators on the south bank of the Seine.
The reopening ceremonychaired by the Archbishop of Paris, Bishop Laurent Ulrich, will be attended by Macron, other officials, donors and the Parisian clergy. It will include the singing of God bless youthe Magnificat, prayers for the world and the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer.
In a gesture of unity, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has encouraged Catholic churches across the country to ring their bells at 2 pm ET on Saturday, December 7.
The following day the inaugural Mass will be celebrated, in which the archbishop will consecrate the main altar. Some 170 bishops and priests from around the world will participate, as well as one priest from each of the 106 parishes of the Archdiocese of Paris.
This will be followed by events from December 8 to 15, in which the faithful and those involved in the restoration will be invited to the daily services. The cathedral will resume its daily activity starting December 16.
Notre Dame, an iconic symbol of French heritage and Gothic architecture, suffered significant damage in April 2019 when a fire consumed its roof and spire. Its main structure was saved, along with much of its priceless contents, but the $760 million restoration project has been monumental and has involved teams of architects, craftsmen and engineers dedicated to preserving the cathedral’s historic integrity.
Before the fire, the cathedral attracted 14 and 15 million visitors a yearaccording to the French Tourist Office.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Maria J. Moriarty
María J. Moriarty is a freelance journalist with more than 10 years of experience in the field. He has a master’s degree in Mass Communication and a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Originally from Mexico City, she began her career in broadcasting before moving into financial journalism, where she has spent the majority of her career.