Notre-Dame re-opens with pomp and ceremony, five years after devastating fire

Wearing new designer vestments and carrying a staff cut from one of the roof beams that survived the fire, Laurent Ulrich joined hundreds of VIPs inside the Gothic masterpiece for a two-hour ceremony. Ulrich commanded the cathedral to “open your doors” and he entered the magnificently restored edifice.

US President-elect Donald Trump sat in the front row as a guest of honor next to French President Emmanuel Macron, with guests marveling at the freshly cleaned walls, new furniture and state-of-the-art lighting installed as part of the cathedral’s overhaul.

Outside, small crowds of Parisians and tourists braved rain and high winds to witness the renaissance of a beloved monument which came close to being totally destroyed by the fire that toppled its roof and spire.

Donations

The reconstruction effort has cost around €700 million, financed from donations, with the re-opening achieved within a five-year deadline set by Macron despite predictions it could take decades.

Workers had to overcome problems with lead pollution, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the army general overseeing the project falling to his death while hiking in the Pyrenées last year.

Ceremony

Saturday’s liturgical ceremony featured prayer, classical and liturgical music and hymns from the cathedral’s choir, and the reawakening of the great organ. The French president also spoke, expressing the “gratitude” of the nation towards those who contributed to the restoration of Notre-Dame. “We have chosen the surge, the will, we have decided to rebuild [Notre-Dame] to be even more beautiful,” he said. “We rediscovered what great nations could achieve: the impossible.”

A public concert planned in front of the cathedral featuring Chinese piano virtuoso Lang Lang and possibly US singer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams had to be pre-recorded on Friday night because of the stormy weather.

Held up as an example of French creativity and resilience by Macron, Notre Dame’s renaissance so soon after the fire comes at a difficult time for the country. The sense of national accomplishment in restoring the Parisian symbol has been undercut by political turmoil that has left France without a proper government since last week, when prime minister Michel Barnier lost a no-confidence vote.

Macron is hoping the re-opening might provide a fleeting sense of national pride and unity – as the Paris Olympics did in July and August. The scale of the immense security operation – with some 6,000 police officers and gendarmes mobilized – and the bad weather certainly recalled the Olympics.

Trump

Macron scored a major coup by attracting incoming US president Donald Trump for his first foreign trip since his re-election. Some 40 heads of state and government were also present, including Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, who was given a round of applause as he entered Notre-Dame, as well as British heir to the throne, Prince William.

After arriving at Notre-Dame for the ceremony, Trump was greeted by Macron and his wife, Brigitte. Inside, Trump also greeted Zelensky as well as Prince William, who Trump met with later at the British Embassy. There, Trump shook the royal’s hand and said “good man, this one,” and told reporters the Prince of Wales was doing “a fantastic job” before the two went into a separate room to sit down and talk. Prince William was also scheduled to meet separately with Jill Biden, according to the British royal palace.

Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the presidential palace shortly before the ceremony, with future US military support for Ukraine’s war effort against Russia’s invasion expected to have been discussed.

One surprising absence on Saturday was that of Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church. However, he sent a message addressed to the French people, which was read out during the reopening service.