The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris reopened its doors with a majestic ceremony that began around 7:00 pm (local time), with the ringing of the bells of the restored temple, which suffered a serious fire in April 2019.
After the ringing of the bells, the Archbishop of Paris, Bishop Laurent Ulrich, began the ceremony with a procession in which he was accompanied by other French bishops, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York; and the Lebanese Cardinal Bechara Rai, Patriarch of Lebanon.
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Before the doors of the cathedral, Monsignor Ulrich made three invocations. After each one he struck the main door of the Parisian cathedral with his episcopal staff.
“Notre Dame, model of faith, open your doors to unite the dispersed children of God in faith,” was the first invocation. “Notre Dame, very loving mother, open your doors to help us search for love, truth, justice and peace,” was the second; while the third was: “Notre Dame, witness of hope, open your doors so that hope may shine and the victory of the resurrection may shine upon us.”
After this last invocation, the archbishop proceeded to open the door and received the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by his wife Brigitte, at the entrance.
Among the many world leaders present were Donald Trump, president-elect of the United States; Volodimir Zelenshy, president of Ukraine; and Prince William of the United Kingdom. Also participating in the ceremony was Elon Musk, the South African tycoon who owns Tesla, Space X, and the social network X.
The ceremony continued with the transmission of a video that briefly narrated the fire five years ago and the restoration works, which was followed by a several-minute ovation in gratitude to the 160 firefighters present in the temple, on whose façade it appeared projected, in capital letters, the word merci (gracias).
To our firefighters and all the forces who saved Notre-Dame.
To all the artisans and companions who made it even more beautiful.
To patrons and generous donors around the world.
To all those who made it possible to keep the promise. pic.twitter.com/Ehu2cDbToZ
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 7, 2024
Macron: Tonight, the bells of Notre Dame ring again
In his emotional speech, the French president expressed his deep gratitude to all those who have collaborated in the reconstruction of the Paris Cathedral, “at a time when we unite in a Catholic temple, in France and the entire world.”
“Yes, tonight the bells are ringing again,” added the president, who recalled some historical events in which they have rung throughout the history of France: “for Napoleon, for Victor Hugo, to announce the resistance of Paris.” , among others.
“Yes, they sound, they who have accompanied our history.”
On April 15, 2019, he continued, the fire devastated Notre Dame, but despite having been “desolate, it was saved, by the bravery, the courage of these men (the firefighters).”
Macron also thanked all those who have worked on the reconstruction, and all those who, of different religions, have collaborated with the project around the world.
“We have rediscovered what a great nation can do: achieve the impossible. This cathedral is the metaphor of the nation and the world (showing) the brotherhood of the people. “Notre Dame tells us that these things are not possible without everyone’s participation.”
The president also indicated that “our cathedral transmits us the transcendence that helps us live in this world, transmit and hope. The bells have rung, the faithful will soon come to pray, the world will find the cathedral rebuilt and we will have to treasure this lesson of fragility and humility.”
“Long live Notre Dame de Paris, long live the Republic, long live France!” he concluded.
After the president’s speech, the banners of the parishes of Paris made their entrance, accompanied by the songs of the choir that highlighted the occasion.
After the procession, the archbishop of Paris thanked Macron for his words, and all those who have collaborated in the reconstruction.
Bishop Celestino Migliore, Apostolic Nuncio in France, read the Holy Father’s message for this occasion.
“I am very happy to join you, Your Excellency, in thought and prayer, as well as all the faithful gathered here and all those present, on this solemn day when your Cathedral is reopened for worship,” Pope Francis notes in his message.
“We all still remember the terrible fire that seriously damaged the building five years ago. Our hearts ached at the risk of seeing a masterpiece of Christian faith and architecture disappear, a millennia-old testimony of your national history,” the Pontiff continued.
“Today, sadness and mourning have given way to joy, celebration and praise. I salute all those, especially the firefighters, who worked so bravely to save this historic monument.”
Pope Francis also thanked all those who have collaborated with the reconstruction “This outpouring is a sign not only of commitment to art and history, but also – and this is very encouraging! – the sign that the symbolic and sacred value of such a building continues to be widely perceived, from the smallest to the largest.”
The Holy Father expressed his hope that “the rebirth of this admirable church will be a prophetic sign of the renewal of the Church in France. I invite all the baptized who will joyfully enter this cathedral to feel legitimate pride and to claim their heritage of faith. Dear faithful of Paris and France, this abode, which our heavenly Father inhabits, is yours; You are its living stones.”
“Notre Dame will soon be visited and admired again by immense crowds of people of all conditions, origins, religions, languages and cultures, many of them in search of the absolute and the meaning of their lives,” Pope Francis stressed.
To conclude, the Holy Father implored “upon the Church of France, and above all the French people, the protection of Notre Dame de Paris, I impart to you and to all those present the blessing with all my heart.”
The Archbishop of Paris continued the ceremony with the “dialogue” with the cathedral organ, in which he asked the “sacred instrument” to play again to encourage the faithful.
“We want those who do not feel worthy to come”
In his reflection after the reading of the Gospel, Bishop Ulrich expressed his desire that “those who do not feel worthy” or who believe that they should not come to the cathedral go to Notre Dame.
Here, “Christ will open the door of his heart and the way to Mary. “This church teaches the mystery of Christ.” “She is a message that crosses eras and borders.”
“Believers or not, Mary listens to them, she introduces them to Jesus her son, today and for all centuries.”
After the prayers, the assembly prayed the Lord’s Prayer and the Hail. Tomorrow, December 8 and the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the altar will be consecrated and the first Mass will be celebrated.
Walter Sánchez Silva
I have been a husband since 2008. My wife and I have three children here and one who went to heaven in 2023, before he was born. Since I joined ACI Prensa in 2005, I have had the opportunity to cover various events of the Catholic Church. Among them, the World Youth Days in Cologne, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro and the apostolic trips of Pope Benedict XVI to Mexico and of Pope Francis to South Korea. I have been sent to the Vatican to cover the Family synods, in 2015; of the Amazon, in 2019 and that of Synodality, in 2023. I closely follow the situation of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua, which suffers persecution from the dictatorship of Daniel Ortega, as well as current ecclesiastical events in the region.