Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
The comeback of Notre Dame
Archbishop of Paris Michel Aupetit wears a hard hat Saturday as he leads Mass in a side chapel at Notre Dame Cathedral. It was the first Mass celebrated since the April 15 fire that caused significant damage to the landmark building.
PARIS — The archbishop wore a hard-hat helmet, burned wood debris was still visible and only about 30 people were let inside, but Notre Dame Cathedral on Saturday held its first Mass since the devastating April 15 fire that ravaged its roof and toppled its masterpiece spire.
Exactly two months after the blaze engulfed the landmark Gothic building in the French capital, the service was celebrated by Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit in a chapel behind the choir, a place confirmed by construction experts as safe.
French Culture Minister Franck Riester said this week the cathedral remains in a “fragile” state, especially its vaulted ceiling, which is still at risk of collapsing.
For security reasons, only about 30 people — mainly priests, canons and church employees — were admitted inside the cathedral for the service. Other worshippers could watch the Mass live on a Catholic TV station.
It is still unclear when the cathedral will reopen to the public.
French President Emmanuel Macron has set a goal of rebuilding it in five years, which many experts consider unrealistic. In the meantime, the French Parliament is debating amendments to a new law that would create a public body to expedite the restoration of the cathedral and circumvent some of France’s complex labor laws.