This photo shows video mapping of the facade of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris as it reopens after being rebuilt after a fire on April 15, 2019, before it was destroyed on December 5, 2024, in Paris.
Ludovic Marin | AFP | Getty Images
Howling winds could not stop Notre Dame’s heart from beating again.
The monument came back to life on Saturday night when Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich knocked on the door three times, wielding a specially designed crosier carved from fire-charred beams. For the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the towering Gothic masterpiece in 2019, it has reopened for worship, with song, prayer and awe beneath its towering arches marking its rebirth.
The ceremony was originally planned to begin in the forecourt, but due to unusually strong December winds that swept across the Ile de la Cité on both sides of the Seine, the ceremony was moved entirely indoors. However, the occasion has not lost its splendor. In the bright nave the choir sang hymns, and the cathedral’s mighty organ, silent for nearly five years, roared with a triumphant symphony of melody.
The restoration project, an astonishing achievement in just five years for a building that took nearly two centuries to build, is seen as a triumphant moment for French President Emmanuel Macron, who has championed an ambitious timetable and a step away from the domestic crisis. A welcome respite from political woes.
The evening’s festivities, attended by 1,500 dignitaries including President-elect Donald Trump, First Lady Jill Biden, Britain’s Prince William and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, highlighted Notre Dame’s role as a The enduring role of a spiritual and cultural beacon. Observers saw the event as Macron’s intention to turn it into a full-fledged diplomatic gathering while underscoring France’s ability to unite on the global stage despite facing an internal political crisis.
On April 16, 2019, Paris, France, the ruins of Notre Dame Cathedral were seen.
Christophe Petit Tesson | Christophe Petit Tesson Pool | Reuters
Dramatic Three Knocks and Bells Emanuel
As the cathedral’s largest bell, the 13-ton Bell Emanuele (not named after the French leader), rang out into the Parisian night to mark the start of the ceremony, the crowd inside Notre Dame was gripped by anticipation. The quietness. Emmanuel is the legacy of King Louis XIV that has permeated centuries of French history, and its bells now resonate, calling people to bear witness to another epochal moment.
Outside the great doors of the cathedral, Ulrich raised his fire-burnt scepter. “Brothers and sisters, let us now enter Notre Dame,” he declared. “It is she who accompanies us on the road to peace.”
As more than 2,500 people watched in silence, Ulrich knocked on the floodlit door, the base of his scepter echoing against the wood. Inside, the choir responded with soaring hymns, their voices filling the nave. The lights on the facade of the cathedral add to the drama. With a final push, the heavy doors swing open to reveal the luminous interior of restored golden Lutetia limestone.
Ulrich and the clergy wore vibrant liturgical attire designed by French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, adding visual splendor to the ceremony. Known for his signature Pop Art aesthetic, Castelbajac created 2,000 colorful pieces for the 700 celebrants, blending modern elements with medieval styles.
Filled with light and song, the cathedral comes alive in moments of awe-inspiring spectacle. What was a silent, soot-stained ruin five years ago is now bursting with new life, marking the culmination of a nearly $1 billion global restoration effort.
Panoramic view of the interior of Notre Dame Cathedral before its reopening on December 6, 2024 in Paris, France.
Pascal Le Segretan | Getty Images
Macron’s political dilemma
Macron spoke inside the cathedral on Saturday, expressing “gratitude” to those who saved, helped and rebuild Notre Dame, his voice echoing through the nave.
“I stand before you … to express the gratitude of the French nation,” he said, before singing filled the space with harmonies not heard in more than five years.
He said: “Tonight, the bells of Notre Dame will ring again. After a while, the organ will wake up,” conveying “the music of hope” to Parisians, France and even the world through the bright interior.
The celebrations are expected to provide a much-needed boost to France’s embattled leader, whose prime minister was ousted this week, plunging the country’s politics into further chaos.
Macron called Notre Dame’s reopening a “cradle of hope.” Observers said he hoped the occasion would briefly silence critics and demonstrate France’s unity and resilience under his leadership – a rare moment of grace for a president currently facing a serious crisis.
Panoramic view of the interior of Notre Dame Cathedral before its reopening on December 6, 2024 in Paris, France.
Pascal Le Segretan | Getty Images
Great achievements in restoration
Inside Notre Dame, 42,000 square meters of stonework – equivalent to six football fields – has been brought back to life, revealing intricate carvings and luminous limestone. The 2,000 oak beams above (nicknamed “The Forest”) restore the cathedral’s iconic spire and roof.
This great organ, which had been dormant for more than five years, roared to life like a sleeping giant. With 7,952 pipes (ranging from the size of a fountain pen to the width of a torso) and a refurbished console with 5 keyboards, 115 stops and 30 foot pedals, it responded to Archbishop Laurent Ulrich’s command: “Wake up , organ, sacred instrument.
The first low rumble gradually evolved into a triumphant symphony as the four organists gave their best in an impromptu response to the Archbishop’s call. Ulrich addressed the organ eight times; eight times, its sound filled the nave with a suffocating sound.
Guests marveled at the spectacle, with many recording the moment on their mobile phones. “It’s a perfect feeling,” said François Le Page of the Notre Dame Foundation, who last saw the scaffolding-covered cathedral in 2021. The weather was gloomy.
The Rev. Andriy Morkvas, the Ukrainian priest who leads the Vladimir Cathedral in Paris, reflected on his first visit to Notre Dame in more than a decade. “I didn’t recognize it,” he said. “God is very powerful; He can change everything.” He expressed hope that the cathedral’s revival would draw strength from the Ukrainian president’s presence and inspire peace in his homeland. “I think it’s going to have a big impact,” he said. “I hope Notre Dame and Mary can help us resolve this conflict.”
Notre Dame’s reopening comes as the world is in deep turmoil, with wars intensifying in Ukraine and the Middle East.
For Catholics, the rector of Notre Dame said the cathedral “carries the presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.”
“This is a magnificent symbol of unity,” Olivier Ribaldo Dumas said. “Notre Dame is more than a French monument, it is a magnificent symbol of hope.”
International dignitaries who came to Paris emphasized the importance of the cathedral as a symbol of common heritage and peace.
Canadian tourist Noelle Alexandria traveled to Paris for the reopening ceremony and was struck by the cathedral’s ability to inspire. “She was almost destroyed before, but she always came back,” Alexander said. “Not many of us can say the same thing after this tragedy, but Notre Dame can.”
Panoramic view of the interior of Notre Dame Cathedral before its reopening on December 6, 2024 in Paris, France.
Pascal Le Segretan | Getty Images
Historical details enrich the occasion
Guests enter through Notre Dame’s iconic west facade, whose arched portals are decorated with biblical carvings and once served as a visual guide for medieval believers. Above the central portal of the Last Judgment, the Archangel Michael is depicted weighing souls while the devil attempts to tip the scales. Designed to inspire awe and fear, these stone statues set the stage for time-honored rituals.
Inside, the cathedral was once again filled with the hum of hundreds of guests awaiting the ceremony – a stark contrast to the architectural bustle that has echoed there for years. The tuners who restored this great organ often worked through the night to find the quiet environment needed to perfect its 7,952 pipes, which range from the size of a pen to the width of a torso.
Notre Dame received a sustained standing ovation after the screening of a short film documenting the monumental rebuilding effort. Outside, the word “MERCI” (thank you) is projected onto the cathedral’s iconic west facade. The film shows the horrific wounds left by hell – gaping holes in vaulted ceilings and burned-out roofs.
But with it came images of craftsmen of all types, many using traditional craft techniques, who together restored Notre Dame better than ever before. “We move from darkness to light,” one of the workers in the film says.
Panoramic view of the interior of Notre Dame Cathedral before its reopening on December 6, 2024 in Paris, France.
Pascal Le Segretan | Getty Images
Security measures at this global event are stringent
A high level of security will be maintained throughout the weekend, echoing measures taken during the Paris Olympics earlier this year.
Ile de la Cité is a small island in the Seine River, home to Notre Dame Cathedral and the historic center of Paris, closed to tourists and non-residents. Police cars and roadblocks blocked off cobblestone streets in large swaths of the island’s perimeter, and soldiers wearing thick body armor and sniffer dogs patrolled embankments. A special security detail is tracking Trump.
The public viewing area on the south bank of the Seine will accommodate 40,000 spectators, who can watch the celebrations on large screens.
For many, Notre Dame’s rebirth is not just a French but a global achievement – after reopening, the cathedral will welcome 15 million visitors a year, up from 12 million before the fire.
