Charge for entry to Notre-Dame de Paris? This “is not our tradition”replied Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, the rector-archpriest of the cathedral, questioned this Monday, December 2, 2024 on France Inter .
On October 23, in an interview with Figaro the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati had suggested charging €5 for entry to Notre-Dame de Paris, relaunching the debate around the means allocated to the maintenance of religious heritage in France. For Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, “there is something surprising” in this idea. “I don’t know the difference between a visitor and a faithful person. […] Will he stop to pray or not to pray? If one enters as a visitor and leaves as a devotee, what happens? »he continued.
“We have to find other ways”
The rector-archpriest of Notre-Dame de Paris also estimated that “in our society, we need places where we can experience a moment of peace, a moment of interiority and all that, you can’t buy it”. According to him, “we have to find other ways” to be able to continue to maintain places of worship in France. “This cathedral was rebuilt thanks to the generosity of everyone, 339,000 people. How could we make those who helped renovate it pay? »he declared.
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