DIRECT. Reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris: relive the first mass

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12 h 50. The mass is over.

12 h 45. After this final blessing of the tabernacle, deacons, priests and bishops leave the cathedral in procession.

12 h 35. Bishop Ulrich proceeds to bless and cense the tabernacle, which contains the relics of the saints. This is now sacred.

12 h 20. The Our Father was sung. The host, which symbolizes the body of Christ, is now distributed to the faithful.

12 h. The celebration of the Mass itself begins with the Eucharistic prayer. At the end of this prayer, the assembly will sing the prayer of Our Father.

11 h 50. The delights of incense now spread near the altar, and its perfume spreads throughout the cathedral.

11 h 45. The smell of holy chrism now spreads throughout Notre-Dame de Paris. This is the perfumed oil that is spread on the altar, the same that is used on the foreheads of those receiving baptism.

11 h 35. A small chest containing the relics of the saints is placed in a specially designed place in the altar, called a sepulchre. The archbishop then pronounces a long prayer of consecration. This is the most important rite of altar consecration.

The relics belong to five saints: Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, Saint Catherine Labouré, Saint Marie Eugénie-Héloïse Milleret, Saint Charles de Foucauld and Blessed Vladimir Ghika.

11 h 25. Five steps will be followed following this homily to complete the consecration of the bronze altar designed by Guillaume Bardet. The object weighs 809 kg and measures almost 2.2 m wide and 1 m deep. It has the shape of a parabola that rises upwards.

11 h 10. “This morning, the sentence of April 15, 2019 is erased”says Archbishop Ulrich. He will proceed with the rites of consecration of the altar, purified a few tens of minutes ago.

10 h 55. Place for the reading of biblical texts, following the purification of the altar, now suitable for sacred use. On the program: the reading of an extract from the book of the prophet Baruch, the song of Psalm 125an extract from a letter from Saint Paul, the proclamation of the Gospel followed by a Alleluia. Archbishop Ulrich will then deliver his homily.

10 h 42. After Laurent Ulrich spoke, the consecration of the altar began in silence. The archbishop began to bless the water which will be sprinkled on the altar.

10 h 38. As planned, the banners of the parishes entered Notre-Dame de Paris. They are accompanied by liturgical chants, while Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, who presides over the ceremony, made his entrance.

10 h 30. The entrance procession has begun. Inside the cathedral, the organ accompanies the first participants.

10 h 25. Participants in the entrance procession are ready to launch this religious celebration. They are, for the moment, on the square in front of Notre-Dame de Paris. Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by his wife, is preparing to enter.

10 h 15. Nearly 170 bishops from France and around the world are participating in this celebration, as well as a priest from each of the 106 parishes of the diocese of Paris. In addition, a priest from each of the seven Eastern Rite Catholic Churches, accompanied by faithful from each of these communities, takes part in this mass.

9 h 55. The priests and deacons present wore the liturgical ornaments designed by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. These are vestments used for the celebration of mass and other services.

Bishops and priests wear a stole, a wide band of fabric worn around the neck going down the length of the body. Over this, they wear a chasuble, a large cloak covering the entire body.

Their ornamentation is inspired by the visual identity of the cathedral: the golden cross and the colored light of the stained glass windows.

9 h 45. The cathedral fills up and returns to its usual hubbub, after five years of construction noise. The final preparations are being put in place. Father Normand explains the process to the priests and deacons present who were unable to attend the rehearsals.

9 h 35. During the entrance procession, the banners of the 106 Parisian parishes will be visible. They were designed by the stylist Jean-Charles de Castelbajac.

9 h 15. In detail, the mass should begin with an entrance procession, in which more than 200 bishops and priests will participate. The Archbishop of Paris will then bless the water with which he will sprinkle the assembly, the altar and the ambo.

Bible readings and songs will then be performed, followed by the rites of consecration of the altar. Mass will then be celebrated, this is where the Eucharistic prayer will be performed and then the Our Fatherwhich will be sung in Latin for the occasion. It will end with communion, during which baptized Catholics receive the body of Christ.

Finally, the tabernacle, where the consecrated hosts following mass are kept, will be blessed. Deacons, priests and bishops will carry out an exit procession, during which the organ of Notre-Dame will stand out.

9 h. This is the second big day for the rebuilt cathedral. At 10:30 a.m., the building will host its first mass, presided over by the Archbishop of Paris, Laurent Ulrich. Emmanuel Macron will be present alongside heads of state, donors and religious leaders.

At the end of the day, another mass, this time open to the public, will take place at 6:30 p.m. Next week, other masses will be organized every evening in the cathedral.