Today, the iconic Cathedral of Paris, Notre-Dame has been ravaged by fire. The live feeds gave us an idea of what it must have been like, to see a city, or churches, castles, buildings being destroyed by flames in medieval times.

I used to be a student of the nearby University, the Sorbonne, and I often sat on a bench , on sunny days, to admire this gem, after a day’s of study.

Today, Notre-Dame was a prisoner of a blazing fire, and the images shocked the world.

Today, like so many, like you who have been to Paris and visited this incredible architecture masterwork, I am extremely saddened by this catastrophe.

Cathedral Notre-Dame has gained worldwide renewed fame with the animated movie The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and later with the eponymous musical, both based on the works of Victor Hugo.

Notre-Dame is unmistakeably linked to the very identity of Paris. more than 14 million visitors admire its architecture and beautiful works of art. Its building began in 1163 and was completed in 1345.

The rooster atop the spire of the cathedral contains 3 major relics : a piece of the Crown of throrns, (brough back from Jerusalem by King Saint Louis (Louis IX) after the 7th crusade, as the Crown of thorns was a gift from Baldwin II, Latin Emperor of Constantinople), a relic of Saint Denis (saint patron of paris and of France) and a relic of Saint Genevieve (saint patron of Paris , whose prayers stoped Atilla the Hun at the gates of Paris, thus saving the city, in 464). Luckily, 16 statues were taken from the roof recently to be restored, thus avoiding being destroyed in the collapse of the spire.

The roof over the choir has been entirely destroyed, we do not know yet how badly the rose windows and the panel windows dating from the 13th century have been damaged. Some statues, paintings, and church ritual objects have been severly damaged or destroyed.

Let’s keep Notre-Dame’s spirit alive and let’s give this old lady her splendour back.

Thanks for reading,

F