(Paris) Less than a month before the reopening of Notre-Dame de Paris, the eight bells of the north belfry rang out for the first time since the fire of April 2019, marking a further step towards the resurrection of the cathedral.
Posted at 6:41 a.m.
Fanny LATTACH
Agence France-Presse
Shortly before 10:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. Eastern Time), the bells rang out one by one, the smallest followed by the largest, operated by motors, until they formed a harmonious ballet, according to journalists from AFP on site.
Five heartbreaking minutes for those who attended.
“We all felt an intense emotion, it’s a voice that extends, that brings us together. It is November 8 and Our Lady tells us “I am here, I am waiting for you”,” declared Father Guillaume Normand, vice-rector of the cathedral.
The eight bells, bearing the names of personalities who have marked the life of the diocese and the Church, chimed in the plenum – in full – and at full blast, “a sign of joy”, underlined the priest.
They had not resounded in the sky of Paris since April 15, 2019, the date of the fire which ravaged the cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic art built more than 850 years ago.
“It’s a beautiful, important, symbolic step,” welcomed Philippe Jost, responsible for the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris. Because “all the bells together, it’s the first time”.
“Everything is not perfect yet. We are going to resolve this perfectly but this first attempt is conclusive,” declared, moved, Alexandre Gougeon, from the Gougeon company, project manager for the refitting of the bells for the ATC group, welcoming “a great outcome”.
Individual bell-by-bell tests were carried out on Thursday, after the engines were installed.
Guest artists
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, the flames reached part of the north belfry of the building, which had to be restored. To do this, the eight bells of this tower were carefully removed, cleaned of lead dust and restored, most of them in Normandy (west), 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 made their return to Notre-Dame in mid-September during a small ceremony and were blessed on the occasion.
One month before its reopening, Notre-Dame de Paris has found its familiar silhouette and is preparing to receive its first visitors on December 7, before a mass the next day.
The project will have mobilized 250 companies, hundreds of craftsmen and cost nearly 700 million euros, financed by 846 million euros in donations.
The outlines of the December 7 ceremony remain unclear, but “there will be very good artists, very great artists of international renown, that’s what the cathedral deserves,” Philippe Jost declared on RTL on Friday, lifting the veil on a well-kept secret.
Press articles have mentioned the presence of ex-Beatles, Paul McCartney, a possibility that has never been confirmed.
“Amazement”
The only certainty at this stage: President Emmanuel Macron will speak “in the cathedral”. “If we will be on December 7 in front of Notre-Dame de Paris reopened, it is because he launched this challenge of (reconstruction in) 5 years,” underlined Mr. Jost.
Notre-Dame welcomed 12 million visitors in 2017. The diocese and the public establishment expect to receive “14 to 15 million” after the reopening, which will be accompanied by new signage, a redesigned circulation and an online reservation system.
When they enter the cathedral, faithful and visitors will discover a refined central axis, brand new minimalist liturgical furniture in brown bronze, a contemporary reliquary wall in cedar wood and glass blocks forming a halo and housing the crown of thorns of Christ, and a luminous cathedral.
The walls, clogged by fire and time, have regained the blondness of their stones.
Contemplating the renovated cathedral is “a wonder,” assured Mr. Jost.
