PARIS – Notre Dame Cathedral, one of the most famous churches in the world, celebrated its first mass on Sunday after a huge 5-year renovation. The church nearly burned down in 2019, but it has now been beautifully restored, with a new roof and a shiny spire. The first mass was led by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, with over 150 bishops and priests, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron, attending the ceremony.
During the service, the Archbishop prayed for the country’s future and led the consecration of a new altar. This new altar replaced the old one that was destroyed during the fire. Some people had to watch the service from outside in the rain, but they were still very happy to be there.
The cathedral was reopened to the public on Saturday, with many world leaders in attendance, including US President-elect Donald Trump. Macron thanked everyone who worked hard to restore the cathedral. He said, “We have rediscovered what great nations can do—achieve the impossible.”
One of the most emotional moments during the reopening ceremony was when firefighters, who saved the cathedral from burning down, were applauded by the crowd. People were so grateful for their bravery. In 2019, the fire almost caused the cathedral to collapse, but firefighters managed to save it by pouring water from the River Seine onto the flames.
The cathedral will open fully to visitors on December 16, but you need to make a reservation online to visit. Before the fire, about 12 million people visited the cathedral every year. After the renovation, they expect 14 to 15 million visitors.
The cathedral’s restoration cost around €700 million (or $750 million), all funded by donations. While much of the work has been finished, there is still some work to do, like finishing the roof and reinstalling statues of saints.
Despite the cold and rain, many people still showed up to celebrate the reopening. Monique Kashale, a 75-year-old woman from the Democratic Republic of Congo, said she was cold but didn’t mind because she was there for Jesus Christ.
The cause of the fire is still not known, but experts believe it was probably an accident, like an electrical fault.
Now, Notre Dame is back, and it’s more beautiful than ever, ready to welcome visitors from all over the world.
