The statues of the apostles go up on the arrow

Saint Paul rose in the blue sky of Paris. More than six years after his removal, the “first apostle”-in every sense of the word-returned, at the end of June, the arrow of Notre-Dame de Paris. Eleven other statues of apostles 3.40 meters high, and four symbolizing the evangelists, will follow him in July.

Sculpted in a patinated copper sheet of a dark bronze color, they finally find the place that Eugène Viollet-le-Duc had assigned them, the architect who imagined this neo-gothic wood and lead arrow and his ambitious decor in 1857.

The miracle of the statues descended just before the fire

“These statues were very oxidized, as evidenced by their color that has become green,” recalls Laurent Roturier, head of the Regional Directorate of Cultural Affairs of Île-de-France. This is why a catering program had been undertaken from 2018 with the state and private patrons. However, on April 15, 2019, the fire broke out in the attic of the cathedral, completely destroying the arrow … except the statues which had just been down, four days earlier.

Rescuated thanks to chance or providence according to everyone’s convictions, they were able to calmly make a beauty in the workshop, then wait patiently, exhibited at the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine, in Paris, that the public establishment rebuilds Notre-Dame diligent the reconstruction of their arrow.

“We therefore had, before the fire, collected the donations of the very first patrons of the cathedral, some of which are very discreet. One of them even financed the restoration of a statue alone, ”recalls Sylvie Bretone, general delegate of the Notre-Dame Foundation who had collected 1.2 million euros for this project. After the disaster, she became the main foundation to pass the generosity of donors.

In April 2020, The pilgrim had gone to report to Socranty, a company of Périgueux (Dordogne), to discover the different stages of catering work.

Mgr Ulrich blesses the statues of the apostles

Citing the Gospel of Marc, Mgr Laurent Ulrich, archbishop of Paris, who came to bless these statues, explains that “the twelve apostles evoke the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus chose them to be his companions, turned towards him but also with all men. They are our interface to God and, with kindness, show us the path of salvation ”.

The last statue which will go back at the end of July 2025 will be that of Saint Thomas: the apostle who doubted. Viollet-le-Duc lent him his features and, alone among the twelve, he looks towards heaven rather than to men, undoubtedly watching for a sign …