Notre Dame Cathedral will open its doors to the world on Saturday for the first time since a devastating fire in 2019. The iconic 12th-century cathedral will host a grand reopening ceremony attended by global leaders, including US President-elect Donald Trump, First Lady Jill Biden, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
With gathering of 1,500 guests for Notre Dame reopening, President Emmanuel Macron sees the event as a unifying moment for a country grappling with political and economic challenges.
The ceremony will commence at 6:00 pm GMT, when the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich, will ceremonially knock on the cathedral’s doors three times, symbolizing a new chapter in its storied history.
The event will include prayers, hymns, and an organ performance by the cathedral’s choir, followed by a televised concert featuring international artists such as Chinese pianist Lang Lang, South African soprano Pretty Yende, and US musician Pharrell Williams.
A race against time
The fire that engulfed Notre Dame in April 2019 shocked the world, reducing its roof and iconic spire to ashes. Parisians and global onlookers watched in despair as firefighters battled to save the 850-year-old monument, a cultural cornerstone immortalized in Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
While the exact cause of the blaze remains unknown, investigators believe it was likely accidental, possibly due to an electrical fault. In the aftermath, experts estimated that restoring the cathedral could take decades. However, the restoration, which cost €700 million, was completed in just five years.
The cathedral now boasts a vaulted wooden roof constructed from ancient oaks, freshly scrubbed limestone walls, and new furnishings, all designed to honor its original splendor.
A stage for global diplomacy
President Macron invited a host of dignitaries to the reopening, hoping to use the event as a moment of national pride and international solidarity. Among the attendees, Donald Trump will be present on his first foreign trip as president-elect.
The ceremony, however, will be notable for Pope Francis’s absence, as the pontiff is visiting the French island of Corsica. Instead, a message from him will be read to the congregation.
A new beginning amid turmoil
The reopening comes at a challenging time for France, which is facing political instability after Prime Minister resigned following no-confidence motion and a budget crisis. Macron hopes the event, much like the successful Paris Olympics earlier this year, will serve as a rallying point for national unity.
On Sunday, Notre Dame will host its first mass in years, led by 170 bishops and over 100 Parisian priests, followed by a second evening service open to the public.