Notre Dame “reborn” more than five years after the devastating fire of 2019. It reopens its doors while its bells in an armored Paris where the emotion, for the return of the symbol most loved by the French and the whole world, is strong, palpable.
It is the triumph of incessant work and the limit of the impossible beyond 2000 peoplebetween workers and artisans, created in a very short time and at a cost 700 million eurosbut above all it is the president’s revenge Emmanuel Macron who, after the “slap of no confidence in Prime Minister Barnier, regains possession of the ‘grandeur’ of the country before world leaders.
About 40 heads of state and government they were in fact invited to a solemn ceremony, welcomed on the churchyard of the Gothic icon by him and by Brigitteproud of the work done and of having, as Macron himself said in a speech inside the basilica, “returned the cathedral to the faithful, to Paris, to France and to the whole world”.
International diplomacy in the background of the ceremony
An opportunity that allowed the head ofElisha to show everyone his diplomatic skills by calling to the table, together with him and the American president-elect Donald Trumpalso the Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
A “coup de theatre”, to put it in French, which proved to be a success for the French president. Zelensky had said he was “ready” for a Macron-Trump trilateral, but the American president gave his consent “only a few hours before” his arrival at the Elysée.
The “spirit of Notre Dame” and hope for Kiev
The mediaBeyond the Alps they immediately talked about the “spirit of Notre-Dame” which could facilitate crucial diplomatic meetings at the highest levels, and which could perhaps pave the way for a solution for Kiev. Zelensky said he was “satisfied” with the meeting and spoke of a “positive and productive” meeting.
Trump, before seeing Macron, had used irony in saying that “The world is going crazy, we’ll talk about it”.
Applause and emotion during the key moment
In the highlight of the ceremony, the entry of the French president into the basilica was welcomed by applause.
«With the reconstruction of Notre-Dame we rediscovered what great nations could do: achieve the impossible», he told those present, evoking the spiritual and transcendental dimension of the place: «Lord, this evening Notre-Dame is returned to you. Long live Notre Dame. Long live the Republic. Long live France!
Saturday 7 December: the return to Notre-Dame
The welcome of world leaders
The celebrations begin at 6.20pm with the arrival of heads of state and government, welcomed in the cathedral square by Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron. However, due to adverse weather conditions, the president’s speech was moved inside the cathedral.
Mattarella in the cathedral with daughter Laura
The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, is in Notre Dame Cathedral for the reopening ceremony, after being welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte. Mattarella is accompanied by his daughter Laura. He is sitting next to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Republican and religious ceremony
At 7pm, the doors of Notre Dame they will open for a double ceremony. The republican part will include the screening of a film that tells the story of the tragedy of the fire and the reconstruction process, followed by the reading of a poem by Louis Aragon and a musical performance by the brothers Capuçon.
Macron he will then give a short and symbolic speech, dedicated to “the art of being French”, in front of prominent leaders such as Donald Trump, Jill Biden and the King of Belgium Philippe.
The religious ceremony will be inaugurated by a message from Pope Francisread by the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich. One of the most significant moments will be the blessing and “rebirth” of large organwho will return to play after five years of silence.
The awakening of the organ: “Beauty saves humanity”
The awakening of the organ was one of the strongest and most awaited moments of the reopening ceremony of the Notre-Dame basilica, “reborn from its ashes” – as the French media headlined – after 5 years of impressive work. For the first time after 5 years, the organ whose 8000 pipes have been renewed and repaired, has returned to play in the basilica as bright as ever, whose 42 thousand stone squares have been cleaned. In a celebration full of symbols, the organ had central importance both for its musical and symbolic function, in religious terms, extremely strong.
In his speech, the Archbishop of Paris, Monsignor Laurent Ulrich, thanked the 250 companies and workers on the construction site. “Rebuilding Notre-Dame in 5 years was a bet that he was the only one to believe in at the time,” he said, thanking President Emmanuel Macron for his constant commitment and his regular visits to the cathedral. Monsignor Ulrich also thanked the “universal generosity” of the 340 thousand donors, “a notable sign of wanting to be part of the beauty, which saves humanity from sadness, with this collective work”.
An evening of music and exceptional guests
After the ceremonies, the president Macron will host an official dinner at the Elysée for the leaders in attendance. The evening will continue with a great concert, recorded due to bad weather, which will feature artists such as Clara Luciani, LangLang, Angelique Kidjo And Pretty Yende. Surprise guests are also expected, including the rumored presence of Paul McCartney And Pharrell Williams.
Sunday 8 December: the first mass in the cathedral
At 10.30am, the first mass will be held in the rebuilt cathedral, presided over by Monsignor Ulrich in the presence of Macron and numerous international leaders. During the celebration, the new altar will be consecrated, a symbol of the spiritual renewal of the cathedral.
At 6.30pm, a mass open to the public will conclude the weekend of celebrations, with the participation of 2,500 people. The return of Notre-Dame as the center of French religious and cultural life is already greeted with enthusiasm, with seats sold out for weeks.
The presence of Elon Musk: a controversial appearance
Among the leaders present, the presence of Elon Musk caused surprise. Already the subject of controversy for having published preview images of the restored interior on his social network XMusk joins the participants of this global event.