What we know about the Notre Dame
I woke up yesterday to find out that the world-famous Norte Dame, the biggest gothic cathedral in Paris was burning. This was shocking news to me. This reminded me of the movie “Is Paris Burning?” where Nazi Dictator Adolf Hitler ordered his generals to burn Paris as Germany was already losing the war. I first learned about this great cathedral from the movie based on Victor Hugo’s novel “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” that he wrote in 1831. In 1996 the movie “Hunchback of Notre Dame” was also produced by Walt Disney.
The Notre Dame Cathedral was named “Our Lady of Paris” by a very Christian nation when Christianity ruled almost all of Europe. How times have changed since. I really don’t know why this fire occurred. But while we woke up early Tuesday morning to learn about the fire, it was still Holy Monday in Paris. Is there a divine message to the Parisians and the Catholic world why this fire occurred on the first day of Holy Week?
In fact my good friend, Dr. Rene Bullecer, sent me photos of the fire and as a comment he wrote: “Based on the 2018 survey, the Church attendance in France is among the lowest in the world, with surveys showing that only about 5% of the total population, i.e. less than 10% of those who are nominally Catholics, now attend weekly Holy Mass. Most churches in France are now turned into tourist destinations and heritage sites.” I heard that dozens of Christian churches in France have been torched by terrorists. One positive story is that my friends in Facebook sent me images of Parisians singing “Ave Maria” around the burning cathedral. At least it made people pray.
Construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral began in 1160 and it was completed in 1260. Today, the Notre Dame Cathedral is one famous tourist destinations in Paris just like the Eiffel Tower. I have been to Paris twice, the first time I just passed by the Notre Dame. My second trip was in 2011 with my wife and daughter. We entered the cathedral and was awed by its splendor and majesty and considered it the finest church named after the Blessed Virgin Mary. No other church was as magnificent as the Notre Dame Cathedral.
I understand that after the French Revolution, the Notre-Dame Cathedral was nearly devastated and forgotten by the non-Christian French government. In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned there as emperor of France and the cathedral was restored to its present glory. By the way, before this fire happened dozens of valuable statues that adorned the roof were removed as it was undergoing reconstruction.
In yesterday’s fire, the cathedral sustained significant damage, including the collapse of the entire roof and the main spire, and substantial damage to the rose windows. The stone vault remained largely intact, and the interior was described as “relatively untouched.” Many artifacts were saved and President Emmanuel Macron announced that it would be rebuilt. Around 400 firefighters got water from the Seine River and used drones to find out the best way to stop the blaze. At least the cathedral can be rebuilt.
By the way, in his Facebook page, retired Judge Simeon Dumdum wrote: “It does not take a pious person to draw the connection of a bloody, broken and dying Jesus to an all-consuming fire destroying one of the world’s most beloved and iconic churches. The floor plan of the cathedral is cruciform meant to resemble the cross on which Christ’s body was hung. Our Lady, who stood weeping at her son’s crucifixion, surely weeps for the cathedral dedicated to her name.” Very well written, judge, this is why I copied and quoted you in this column.
Also in my Facebook page, we take note that one of France's richest men is to going to donate €100M towards the rebuilding of Notre Dame Cathedral. The French newspaper Le Figaro, mentioned billionaire François-Henri Pinault, who is married to the actress Salma Hayek, and the chairman and CEO of the Kering group, which owns such famous brands as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and Alexander McQueen. He is also president chairman of Artemis, the holding company that controls the assets of the Pinault family. He hopes the money will help completely rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral. At least in the end we have some good news about the Notre Dame.
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