the vibrant story of our special correspondents inside the cathedral

“Our Lady, model of faith, open your doors to gather together in joy the scattered children of God. » The voice of Mgr Laurent Ulrich penetrates the walls of the cathedral. Three powerful blows ring out. From the screens installed on the pillars, we can see and hear the Archbishop of Paris, who vigorously strikes the wood of the central portal with his crozier, carved from an oak beam rescued from the old framework. Then the master, dressed all in blue, intones This is the dwelling place of God among men… (Psalm 121). It is 7:11 p.m. and the reopening ceremony begins, five years and nine months after the fire which destroyed the roof and the spire of the Gothic building. A thrill of collective emotion runs through the atmosphere. Do the millions of people who follow live television images perceive this?

Catherine and I relish the privilege, with the hundred or so accredited editors, of being able to witness this historic moment. Around forty heads of state are welcomed on the square by Emmanuel Macron and his wife. We watch the arrival of Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, who enters the cathedral to applause, followed by Donald Trump. The press, located in the north aisle of the cathedral, is tightly controlled and prohibited from moving. Which does not prevent us from remaining in constant dialogue, by text message, with the web team of the Pilgrim. We want to share the event live with our readers.

The soft lighting of Notre-Dame, which highlights the ribs of the vaults and the depth of the galleries, suddenly becomes more intense: the portal opens and the procession of the cathedral’s ecclesiastics advances into the nave. The chasubles, chasubles and stoles designed by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac burst with color and modernity.

From mourning to joy

First place for the republican ceremony, even if The Marseillaise will be sung later on the square: the arrival of the Darragh storm meant that all the festivities had to be housed in the building… We can bet that Mgr Ulrich, who will soon repeat how much he wants a cathedral “open to all” , is not unhappy with the symbol. A short film recalls the challenge of the commitment of the companions: the audience, standing, gives them a standing ovation. As she will do a little later, at the fire department entrance.

After the President’s brief speech, which also highlights the “bravery” of the restorers, the archbishop calls on the organ eight times. And, under the fingers of the four organists who take turns, he responds, waking up to the music.

“Today sadness and mourning give way to joy,” declared the apostolic nuncio, carrying a message from the pope. Francis hopes that this reopening will be “a prophetic sign of the renewal of the Church in France” and concludes by mentioning the visitors who will soon enter in search of meaning. “I know that the doors will be wide open to them, and that you will be committed to welcoming them generously and free of charge. » This nod to the recent controversy over free access to the cathedral brings a smile to the face of the assembly in which the resigning Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, who initiated the debate, is sitting.

After the epistle to the Christians of Ephesus, a short homily from Mgr Ulrich and the Our Father, the organ sounds a Te Deum to conclude this first service, in a cathedral which once again smells of incense, where the voices of the choristers sing and the murmur of prayers rises. Tonight, Notre-Dame came back to life!

Sophie Laurant

Rainy skies and wind to dehorn the oxen but happy heart. Going through the Saint-Louis bridge, the only access route to the Île de la Cité, and running towards Notre-Dame is a joy. This morning, I am accompanied by our photographer Stéphane Compoint who can’t wait to see the beautified cathedral. The high mass of consecration of the altar promises to be as flamboyant as the ceremony the day before.

And she is. At 10:30 a.m., a procession of gleaming banners representing the 106 parishes of the diocese of Paris slowly ascends towards the nave. These banner bearers are followed by one hundred and seventy bishops from around the world, Parisian priests and a representative from each of the seven Eastern Rite Catholic Churches. They precede the Archbishop of Paris to concelebrate mass with him. A solar procession, medieval and modern at the same time, illuminated by the paramental creation of Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. The mastery of the cathedral intones People of God, City of Emmanuel . Then silence falls. The Archbishop of Paris opens the celebration with perceptible emotion, in fraternal communion with the suffering world, the companions who rebuilt Notre-Dame, the priests, the faithful and the laity. He makes the sign of the cross and sprinkles holy water on the entire assembly, then the altar and the ambo. “I have seen the living water, sings the mastery, hallelujah, hallelujah! » Worship is back. Notre-Dame returns to its primary vocation, that of being the home of Christians. A house whose doors are wide open to all men, whatever their culture and religion.

This morning, the press is installed just behind the priests, to the left of Guillaume Bardet’s altar, a block of bronze which seems to emerge from the earth. Its power, its patina and its sobriety fit perfectly into the blonde cathedral. Mgr Ulrich places the relics of saints with a strong link with Paris in this case of 800 kg of bronze and 2.2 m wide. The congregation sings with mastery Today is a day of celebration! Joy filled the entire cathedral.

Oil, incense and tablecloth

But the best part of the ceremony is yet to come. After a prayer of blessing, the archbishop removes his chasuble to anoint the altar with holy chrism. He spreads the oil with his hand to make it penetrate the material and dedicate the altar to the celebration of mass. He coats the bronze, with a simple and noble gesture at the same time, as much artisanal as religious. We are so close that we perceive the scents of the oil, the same one that is placed on the foreheads of the baptized and brings us back to the essence of Christianity. Then the archbishop incenses the altar and wishes that the love of Christ will be pleasant and joyful, like a perfume. Whatever the age and mystery of the rite that Mgr Ulrich is performing, the sincerity of his words makes it accessible to all.

Everything is ready for the celebration of the Eucharist. The altar is now covered with a tablecloth, decorated with a cross and adorned with candles. Those who attend the ceremony, inside the cathedral or in front of their screen, will never again be able to look at Guillaume Bardet’s altar as a simple work of art but as “a table of the Word, a solid rock on on which our faith can rely,” recalls Mgr Ulrich.

The Archbishop’s words touch the heritage-loving journalist that I am: “Don’t just be dazzled by the beauty of the found stones, let yourself also be led to the greatest joys. » I read in the eyes of the audience that the message had been sent. Something greater than ourselves transported us all this morning. Thank you Notre Dame!

Catherine Lalanne