Celebration with compromises – mega wind hinders the opening of Notre-Dame

The Elysée expects at least 35 heads of state and government to attend the ceremonial reopening, including Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP). However, warnings of severe weather put a dampener on the ceremony with 3,000 guests: it had to be moved indoors at short notice.

Weather service Météo-France’s forecasts of wind gusts of up to 80 kilometers per hour “forced us to reorganize preparations,” the Elysée Palace and the local diocese said in a joint statement on Friday evening.

Now we improvise
The opening ceremony was originally scheduled to start at 7 p.m. After a film honoring the firefighters and craftsmen, President Emmanuel Macron wanted to make a speech. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich then had to open the gates of the cathedral according to the Catholic rite by knocking on them three times with the bishop’s staff and then enter first, followed by all the guests. It was not yet known how this procedure would be changed.

Inside, the archbishop will first inaugurate the organ and sing the traditional hymns Magnificat and Te Deum. After the service, a cultural program is planned, including pianist Lang Lang.

The entire attic was on fire
The cathedral was severely damaged by fire on April 15, 2019. The entire roof structure burned down and the cross tower fell burning into the nave. Thanks to generous donations from all over the world worth a total of 846 million euros, Notre Dame was able to be thoroughly restored in just over five years. Since the restoration, the building has been virtually unrecognizable: the light limestone has been stripped of centuries-old soot and dirt. The cleaned windows let in more light than ever, allowing the fresh colors and gold leaf of the murals to shine.