After a catastrophic fire in 2019, Notre Dame Cathedral in France celebrated its first Mass on Sunday, filling the space with a crowd for the first time in nearly five years.
The first mass was “a moment that transcended religious significance to become a powerful symbol of Paris' resilience,” the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The ceremony took place inside the cathedral with traditional chandeliers above, showcasing the spectacular stonework, restored limestone and stained glass.
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The liturgy welcomed 2,500 people, led by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, including French President Emmanuel Macron, additional members of the clergy, dignitaries and a few lucky members of the public waiting in line hoping to get in, AP reported.
Guests attended mass at Notre Dame Cathedral for the first time since a catastrophic fire in 2019. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool Photo via AP)
“About 170 bishops from France and around the world participated, along with a priest from each of the 113 parishes of the diocese of Paris, accompanied by faithful from these communities,” the media adds.
Those who attended the service participated in communion, except Macron, and many knelt to pray in the space.
Other attendees took photographs of the reconstructed interior, which also included a new bronze altar that had been consecrated with holy water, chrism oil, incense, and prayer by the archbishop during the service.
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Sunday's mass followed the cathedral's dedication ceremony, which took place on Saturday and was attended by President-elect Donald Trump, first lady Jill Biden, Prince William and other notable figures.
Priests and clergy arrived for the inaugural mass, where the archbishop consecrated the new bronze altar. (AP Newsroom)
President Joe Biden was unable to attend the ceremony due to a scheduling conflict, Fox 5 New York reported.
At the historic reopening, the archbishop “symbolically reopened the cathedral's enormous wooden doors by striking them three times with a crosier made from charred beams rescued from the fire,” the AP reported.
“When the doors opened, the choirs filled the air with song and the great organ of the cathedral, silent since the fire, resounded with majestic melodies.”
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For those unable to attend Sunday Mass, the public, including those who traveled to Paris, were able to secure a reservation once the cathedral opened its doors for Notre Dame's “first fully public Mass,” it reported. AP. .
“The Associated Press has learned that tickets for this service were claimed within 25 minutes, underscoring Notre Dame's enduring appeal.”
Archbishop Laurent Ulrich led the liturgy and Eucharist at Sunday's inaugural Mass at Notre Dame. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool Photo via AP)
Others in Paris watched the historic day along the Seine River, where hundreds of passersby gathered, with public viewing areas holding 40,000 people, Fox 5 reported.
The reopening of the cathedral is considered a “rebirth.”
“No one alive has seen the cathedral like this,” the Rev. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, rector of Notre Dame, told the AP. “It is more than restored: it is reborn.”
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The celebration of the church's reopening will not end with the Mass.
Guests from around the world attended Notre Dame's inaugural Mass, the first celebrated at the cathedral since 2019. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool Photo via AP)
The archbishop announced that an “octave” of celebrations, eight days of religious services, will take place until December 15.
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These daily services will be open to local parishioners and pilgrims from around the world.
“Sunday masses underscore Notre Dame's dual role as a place of worship and a symbol of community resilience,” the AP wrote.
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“They also ensure that members of the wider Catholic community can participate in the spiritual rebirth of the cathedral.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
