Millions of visitors will flock to the Parisian cathedral after it reopens in December for the first time since a destructive fire in 2019.
An official and religious ceremony will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, starting around 7 p.m., local time.
First, President Emmanuel Macron of France, who had vowed to restore the Gothic medieval masterpiece within five years of the fire, will give a speech in front of the cathedral to Roman Catholic dignitaries, foreign officials and donors who contributed to the renovation.
Afterward, the archbishop of Paris will strike the doors of the cathedral with his staff, and a choir will sing Psalm 121 three times. The doors will be opened, and the archbishop will lead a religious service and bless the great organ, which was not damaged but had to be cleaned of toxic lead dust.
Who is attending the ceremonies?
Over 40 heads of state and government, religious dignitaries, and other officials are expected to attend, but Pope Francis has already said he will not be present.
President Biden is also not expected to attend, but Dr. Jill Biden, the first lady, will be there. President-elect Donald J. Trump said this week that he would make the trip.
The authorities have planned extremely tight security for the area around Notre-Dame over the weekend, similar to the arrangements for the Summer Olympics opening ceremony. About 40,000 members of the general public will be able to watch from further away on giant screens.
What else is planned?
From Dec. 9-15, there will be Masses for the firefighters who saved the building, for the workers and artisans who helped to renovate it and for the 340,000 or so donors who provided money for the renovation, as well as other Masses for the general public. Two concerts, with performances of Bach’s Magnificat, will be held in the cathedral on Dec. 17 and 18.
What did the renovation involve and how much did it cost?
About 840 million euros, or $900 million, from around 340,000 donors poured in after the fire to help renovate the cathedral.
Notre-Dame came dangerously close to collapsing during the blaze, and the first step was to secure it. Workers also had to deep-clean the limestone, paintings and statues to remove ash, lead particles and centuries of accumulated grime.
The Roman Catholic Church of France who runs the monument has opposed any entrance fee. The church’s mission is to “welcome every man and woman unconditionally, and therefore necessarily free of charge, regardless of their religion or belief, opinions, or financial means,” church officials said in October.
Read the full article by Aurelien Breeden here / Courtesy of NY Times
