The bells of Notre-Dame de Paris rang out for the first time since the fire of 2019, this Friday, November 8.
Quite a symbol: the eight bells of the north belfry of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, which is preparing to reopen on December 7, rang out on the morning of this Friday, November 8, more than five years after the fire which destroyed the building.
Shortly before 10:30 a.m., the bells rang out one by one, activated by motors, until they formed a harmonious ballet, according to AFP journalists on site.
“It’s a beautiful step, important, symbolic,” greeted AFP Philippe Jost, head of the public establishment responsible for the restoration of the cathedral, a jewel of Gothic art.
“All the bells together, it’s the first time” since the fire of April 2019, he stressed.
A first “conclusive” test
“Everything is not yet perfect. We are going to resolve this perfectly but this first test is conclusive”, declared, moved, Alexandre Gougeon, from the Gougeon company, project manager for the refitting of the bells for the ATC group, hailing “a great outcome”. Individual tests, bell by bell, were conducted on Thursday.
This sound signal marks a further step in the resurrection of one of the largest cathedrals in the West, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, and one of the most visited monuments in Europe.
During the fire of April 15, 2019, the flames reached part of the north belfry of the building, which had to be restored. To do this, the eight bells housed in this tower were carefully removed, cleaned of lead dust and restored before returning to their original setting.
From “Gabriel”, and its more than four tonnes, to the smallest “Jean-Marie” (approximately 800 kg), named in homage to Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, archbishop of Paris from 1981 to 2005, these eight bells bear the name of personalities who have marked the life of the diocese and the Church.
They returned to Notre-Dame in mid-September during a small ceremony and were blessed on the occasion.
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