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Notre Dame Returns: Inside the Historic Reopening After Fire

Notre Dame Returns: Inside the Historic Reopening After Fire

Notre Dame Returns: Inside the Historic Reopening After Fire \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Notre Dame Cathedral reopens this weekend with a series of ceremonies celebrating its recovery from the devastating 2019 fire. Highlights include the reopening of its great doors, the reawakening of its historic organ, and the celebration of its first Mass. The events signify resilience for France and the Catholic Church, attracting global attention and diverse attendees.

Notre Dame Returns: Inside the Historic Reopening After Fire
FILE – People stand outside Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, on Nov. 29 2024. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool Photo via AP, File)

Notre Dame’s Reopening: Quick Looks

  • Weekend Ceremonies: Includes door-opening rites, organ reawakening, and a first Mass celebration.
  • Weather Adjustments: Stormy forecasts moved Saturday’s outdoor events indoors.
  • Archbishop’s Role: Laurent Ulrich will lead 1,500 guests in reopening and consecration services.
  • Great Organ Returns: Organists will improvise during the reawakened instrument’s inaugural performance.
  • Global Affection: Donations poured in from 340,000 individuals across 150 countries, raising $846 million.
  • Restoration Marvels: Restored interiors boast luminous stone, pristine paintings, and vibrant stained glass.

Deep Look

A Symbolic Rebirth for Notre Dame

The iconic Notre Dame Cathedral reopens this weekend in a grand celebration of restoration and resilience following the catastrophic 2019 fire that left the world in mourning. A sequence of ceremonies will breathe life back into the nearly 900-year-old monument, which has undergone an extraordinary transformation during its painstaking restoration.

The reopening events, meticulously planned and televised, reflect both national pride and the Catholic Church’s global influence. French President Emmanuel Macron invited dignitaries, including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and numerous world leaders, to join the ceremonies. Tickets for the first week of Masses sold out in just 25 minutes, highlighting the faithful’s eagerness to return to the cathedral.

A Weekend of Ceremonies

The reopening kicks off Saturday evening with Archbishop Laurent Ulrich leading over 1,500 attendees through a solemn service. The great doors of the cathedral will be reopened with ritualistic flair as Ulrich taps them three times using a specially crafted crosier, designed by Sylvain Dubuisson. The wood used for the crosier bears charred marks from the original roof destroyed in the fire.

Once the doors open, choirs will fill the cathedral with song, rekindling the majestic acoustics that have been silent for years. Forecasted stormy winds forced changes to the schedule, with all events now held indoors, including an anticipated speech by Macron.

The Resurgence of the Great Organ

A focal point of the reopening is the revival of Notre Dame’s thunderous great organ, silent since the blaze left its 7,952 pipes coated in toxic dust. After years of dismantling, cleaning, and reassembly, the instrument has been meticulously retuned. Its return will be marked by a unique exchange between the archbishop and the organists.

Archbishop Ulrich will deliver eight ceremonial incantations, addressing the instrument directly with phrases such as, “Awaken, organ, sacred instrument: Sing the praise of God.” Each invocation will receive an improvised musical response from one of four esteemed organists, including Olivier Latry and Vincent Dubois.

“The moment will guide us,” Latry explained, emphasizing the spontaneity required to match the ambiance and energy of the occasion. The organ, capable of producing a vast range of tones, will play both delicate and thunderous notes during its first public performance in years.

Restoration Triumphs Inside and Out

While exterior work continues, the interiors of Notre Dame now gleam with a radiance unseen for generations. Decades of grime have been removed from the limestone walls, revealing their creamy brilliance. Collapsed vaulted ceilings have been restored, while the light streaming through cleaned stained glass windows accentuates the cathedral’s intricate beauty.

New elements include a custom-designed altar replacing the one crushed during the fire and garments for clergy created by a designer who has also dressed global stars like Beyoncé and Rihanna. According to the cathedral’s rector, Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, no one alive has seen Notre Dame look as magnificent as it does now.

A Global Effort to Restore Notre Dame

The fire that consumed Notre Dame’s roof and spire initially seemed like a devastating blow to a world treasure. Yet, the tragedy sparked an unprecedented outpouring of support. Fundraising surged, with 340,000 donors from 150 countries contributing €846 million ($964 million).

“It’s something which belongs to everybody,” said Michel Picaud, head of the Friends of Notre-Dame de Paris, a nonprofit that raised $57 million primarily from American donors.

The reopening ceremonies reflect the universal reverence for Notre Dame, uniting billionaires and disadvantaged Parisians alike. Hundreds of the city’s poorest residents, supported by charitable organizations, will join the celebration alongside the world’s elite.

The Cathedral’s Role in Heritage and Hope

The reopening of Notre Dame represents more than the recovery of a historic building—it is a symbol of resilience, unity, and hope. As its great organ reverberates through its restored halls and worshippers gather under its luminous arches, Notre Dame reclaims its place as a global icon of culture, spirituality, and human achievement.

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