Notre Dame rises from the ashes as a symbol of hope

On Saturday, December 7, 2024, President-elect Donald J. Trump will attend the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. The visit to Paris marks his first foreign trip since winning the 2024 election.  

“It is an honor to announce that I will be traveling to Paris, France, on Saturday to attend the re-opening of the Magnificent and Historic Notre Dame Cathedral,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “President Emmanuel Macron has done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so.” 

On April 15, 2019, a devastating fire ravaged the more than 860-year-old cathedral, destroying its roof and iconic spire. Standing in the smoke-filled air in front of the ruins that night, French President Emmanuel Macron made a promise many thought impossible: “We will rebuild Notre Dame. Because that’s what the French expect and because it is what our history deserves.” 

FIRST LOOK AT NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL’S RESTORED INTERIOR FIVE YEARS AFTER DEVASTATING FIRE

Five years later, “Our Lady of Paris” is ready to open its doors once again. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of “compagnons” – workers and craftspeople – and the generous support of donors, what Macron termed “the project of the century” is now complete. 

In the newly restored Notre Dame, stripped of centuries of dirt, dust and grime, stained glass windows gleam and marble statues sparkle. A golden phoenix surrounded by flaming feathers sits atop the new spire, symbolizing the cathedral’s rise from the ashes. 

Philippe Jost, Macron’s appointed head of the reconstruction effort, told “60 Minutes” Notre Dame was restored with traditional materials alongside new fire safety features to ensure the world-renowned French landmark lasts at least another 860 years.  

Some 2,000 artisans replaced 1,300 cubic meters of stone, hewed 1,500 oak pews, and cleaned and tuned 8,000 organ pipes. The restoration project cost an estimated $737 million and was supported by 340,000 donors from 150 countries.  

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Trump will attend the reopening event alongside nearly 50 heads of state and more than 150 Catholic bishops and priests from more than 100 parishes in the Diocese of Paris.  

Though Pope Francis will not be in attendance, he previously remarked on the significance of the restoration and reopening of Notre Dame, calling it a “powerful and prophetic sign from the Lord.”  

The celebration will begin with a solemn ceremony presided over by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich in which the doors of Notre Dame will be reopened, and the thunderous grand organ blessed and reawakened. The service will also include prayers, a blessing from the archbishop and the chanting of the Te Deum.  

Additionally, choirs of the Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris will perform during the service. The grand organ will be played by Olivier Latry, Vincent Dubois, Thierry Escaich and Thibault Fajole. 

The consecration of the high altar and the inaugural Mass will take place on Sunday, followed by a “fraternal buffet” for those in need. Sunday’s Mass will begin an octave of reopening, wherein the public and the faithful are invited to visit the cathedral. With Notre Dame officially open to the public, celebratory events will continue throughout the rest of the year until the Feast of Pentecost in June 2025. 

The restoration and reopening of Notre Dame marks a new chapter in the cathedral’s magnificence and history.  

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