The Associated Press (“AP News”) reports that France’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral has been restored and is formally reopening its doors today (12/7/2024) for the first time since a devastating fire in 2019 nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark.

Notre Dame’s rector, Rev. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, said the cathedral is more than just a French monument and a beloved treasure of the world’s cultural heritage, it is a “magnificent symbol of unity, a sign of hope, because what seemed impossible has become possible.”

The vaulted ceiling of the Notre Dame Cathedral on 11/29/2024, Paris, France. Credit: Sarah Meyssonnier / The Associated Press

Today’s events will blend solemn religious tradition with an official presidential speech and cultural grandeur.  Archbishop Laurent Ulrich will symbolically reopen Notre Dame’s grand wooden doors by tapping them three times with a staff crafted from charred wood salvaged from the cathedral’s fire-ravaged roof.

The AP News article may be read in its entirety HERE.

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