After a catastrophic fire in 2019, France’s Notre Dame Cathedral hosted its first Mass on Sunday, filling the space with a crowd for the first time in almost five years.
The first mass was ‘a moment that transcended religious meaning to become a powerful symbol of Paris’ resilience,” the Associated Press (AP) reported.
The ceremony took place in the cathedral, with traditional chandeliers hanging above, showcasing the spectacular stonework, restored limestone and stained glass windows.
THE CATHEDRAL OF NOTRE DAME TO REOPEN, PROTECTING TOURIST FLOWS AFTER RENEWAL FIRE
The liturgy welcomed 2,500 people, led by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, including French President Emmanuel Macron, additional clergy, dignitaries and some lucky members of the public who waited in line hoping to get in, the AP reported.
For the first time since a catastrophic fire in 2019, guests attended mass at Notre Dame. (Sarah Meyssonnier/swimming pool photo via AP)
“Nearly 170 bishops from France and around the world took part, along with one priest from each of the 113 parishes in the Paris diocese, accompanied by worshipers from these communities,” the newspaper added.
Those who attended the service took communion, except Macron, and many knelt in the room to pray.
Other attendees took photos of the reconstructed interior, which also included a new bronze altar consecrated by the archbishop during the service with holy water, chrism oil, incense and prayer.
THE CATHEDRAL OF NOTRE DAME RECEIVES ITS ICONIC BELLS 5 YEARS AFTER THE FIRE
The Sunday Mass followed the cathedral’s opening ceremony, which took place and was attended on Saturday President-elect Donald Trump, First Lady Jill Biden, Prince William and other notable figures.
Priests and clergy arrived at 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 opened the cathedral’s massive wooden doors by striking them three times with a staff made from charred beams salvaged from the fire,” the AP reported.
“As the doors swung open, choirs filled the air with song and the great organ of the cathedral – silent since the fire – resounded with majestic melodies.”
ITALY IS EXPECTED TO ATTRACT MILLIONS OF TRAVELERS AS POPE FRANCIS STARTS THE HOLY YEAR
For those who could not attend Sunday Mass, members of the public, even those who could traveled all the way to Paris, was able to secure a reservation as soon as the cathedral opened its doors for Notre Dame’s “first fully public Mass,” the AP reported.
“The Associated Press 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 the opening Mass on Sunday at Notre Dame. (Sarah Meyssonnier/swimming pool photo via AP)
Others in Paris watched the historic day along the Seine River, where hundreds of passersby gathered — with public viewing areas that can accommodate 40,000 people, Fox 5 reported.
The reopening of the cathedral is called a ‘rebirth’.
“No one alive has seen the cathedral like this,” the Rev. Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, the rector of Notre Dame, told the AP. “It’s more than recovered; it’s been reborn.”
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
The celebration of the reopening of the church does not end with Mass.
Guests from around the world attended Notre Dame’s inaugural Mass, the first at the cathedral since 2019. (Sarah Meyssonnier/swimming pool photo via AP)
The archbishop announced that an “octave” of celebrations, eight days of religious services, will take place until December 15.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
These daily services are open to local parishioners and pilgrims from all over the world.
“The Sunday Masses underscore Notre Dame’s dual role as a place of worship and a symbol of communal resilience,” the AP wrote.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“They also ensure that members of the wider Catholic community can participate in the spiritual revival of the cathedral.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
