Cathedral of Nantes: all know its reopening

As the big day approaches, the nave of the cathedral of Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) resembles a hive: while craftsmen put the last touch to the restoration of the cathedral (headquarters of the bishop), others are coming to hang up the beautiful 19th century chandeliers whose lighting was made sweeter. The tables cleaned gradually find their rascals in the chapels, and the new console of the choir organ is waiting for the organist, who tried her harmonization at night, when the effervescence has overshadowed.

As of Saturday, September 27, 2025, the faithful and visitors will be able to rediscover the light vaults, cleaned with lead dust and soot. Some, by invitation, will attend the organizing ceremony of the organ, then the reopening mass celebrated by the bishop of the place. The Diocese YouTube channel and KTO will also broadcast the event.

Bishop Laurent Périerou will finally take possession of “his” cathedral, closed a month before his arrival at the head of the diocese. “My enthronement ceremony took place on the forecourt,” he recalls, which was ultimately a strong sign of consolation for our very shocked parishioners. “

Second rebirth

On July 18, 2020, an unbalanced man*, welcomed by the parish and became a volunteer, had lit three households. The flames had caused damage in the choir and the southern transept and destroyed the large organ of the 18th century, as well as the glass roof of the Western facade.

This disaster, fifteen months after that of Notre-Dame de Paris, had upset the opinion and awakened more painful memories still among the Nantes: the frame of their cathedral of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul is also accidentally left up in smoke in 1972, resulting in a closure of three years and forty years of work.

This time, things went faster and, unlike Notre-Dame, it is the state, owner of the cathedrals, which finances the entire catering-32 million euros planned in total, including 20.9 already engaged. A large site begins behind a double tarpaulin, one on the outer facade and the other insulating the first two spans of the nave.

This system will allow the cohabitation of stone and public tailors until the end of 2028: “It is a question of redoing almost the entire stone structure above the central portal which suffered from the extreme heat of the fire, specifies Philippine Burgaud, engineer of the regional direction of cultural affairs (DRAC) of the Pays-de-la-Loire-master of the site for the State. In parallel, a competition will be launched so that a contemporary stained glass can replace that of the 16th century. ”

Inside, by reorganizing the chapels, the clergy sought “how to allow a meeting of visitors to holy history, with the Christian faith”, specifies Mgr Pierceou. The bishop welcomes “teamwork as in football” at the Nantes “”, carried out with the Drac, the prefect, the catering companies, at the bedside of a building “which raises and constitutes a strong element of identity for the inhabitants of Loire-Atlantique”. Opening ceremonies will also be preceded by a big party bringing together the Nantes, believers or not.

*Put under judicial supervision, in 2021 he assassinated a priest who hosted him. He was sentenced in 2023 to four years firm for the cathedral fire.