France’s Notre Dame Cathedral held its first Mass on Sunday after a catastrophic fire in 2019, with crowds filling the area for the first time in nearly five years.
According to the Associated Press, the first Mass was “a moment that transcended religious significance and became a powerful symbol of Paris’s resilience.”
The ceremony took place inside the cathedral, with a traditional chandelier above displaying spectacular stonework, restored limestone and stained glass windows.
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According to the Associated Press, the ceremony welcomed 2,500 people led by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, including French President Emmanuel Macron, other clergy, dignitaries and some lucky people who lined up to get in people.
Guests attended Mass at Notre Dame for the first time since the catastrophic fire in 2019. (Sarah Meyssonnier/AP Pool Photo)
“Nearly 170 bishops from France and around the world, as well as one priest from each of the 113 dioceses of the Diocese of Paris, are accompanied by the faithful from these communities,” the outlet added.
With the exception of Macron, those attending the service took communion and many knelt in the space to pray.
Other attendees photographed the reconstructed interior, which also includes a new bronze altar, which the archbishop consecrated with holy water, oil, incense and prayers during the ceremony.
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Sunday’s Mass follows Saturday’s opening ceremony for the cathedral, which was attended by President-elect Donald Trump, first lady Jill Biden, Prince William and other notable figures.
Priests and clergy arrived for the inaugural Mass, where the Archbishop consecrated the new bronze altar. (AP Newsroom)
According to New York’s Fox 5, President Joe Biden was unable to attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts.
In the historic reopening, the archbishop “symbolically reopened the cathedral’s massive wooden doors, knocking them three times with a crozier made from charred beams salvaged from the fire,” the Associated Press reported “.
“When the doors opened, the air was filled with the singing of the choir, and the cathedral’s great organ – which had been silent since the fire – echoed with majestic melodies.”
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For members of the public unable to attend Sunday Mass, even those who traveled all the way to Paris, reservations can be obtained after the cathedral opened its doors for “the first fully public Mass” at Notre Dame, according to the Associated Press .
“The Associated Press has learned that tickets for the service were claimed within 25 minutes, underscoring Notre Dame’s enduring appeal.”
Archbishop Laurent Ulrich presided over the liturgy and Eucharist at the inaugural Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral on Sunday. (Sarah Meyssonnier/AP Pool Photo)
Others in Paris watched the historic day unfold along the Seine, where hundreds of passers-by gathered in a public viewing area with a capacity of 40,000, Fox 5 reported.
The reopening of the cathedral has been called a “rebirth”.
“No one has ever seen a cathedral like this,” the Rev. Olivier Ribaldo Dumas, the dean of Notre Dame, told The Associated Press. “It has not just been restored — it has been reborn.”
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Celebrations of the reopening of churches do not end with Mass.
Guests from around the world attended Notre Dame’s inaugural Mass, held at the cathedral for the first time since 2019. (Sarah Meyssonnier/AP Pool Photo)
The archbishop announced that there will be an “octave” of celebrations, eight days of religious rites until December 15.
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These daily services will be open to local parishioners and pilgrims from around the world.
“Sunday Mass underscored Notre Dame’s dual role as a place of worship and a symbol of community resilience,” the Associated Press wrote.
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“They also ensure that members of the wider Catholic community can participate in the cathedral’s spiritual renewal.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
