What to know about Notre Dame Cathedral’s highly anticipated reopening
Several key events will lead to the grand reopening of the iconic Notre-Dame de Paris in December, more than five years after a fire destroyed a significant portion of the structure.
With just 23 days to go until the Dec. 7 reopening, the Elysee Palace, the official residence of President Emmanuel Macron, and the Archdiocese of Paris detailed the final inspection and ceremonial events leading up to the big day.
"The cathedral has never been seen [like this] in living memory, at least since the end of the restoration done by [Eugène Viollet-le-Duc]," said presidential special advisor on culture Philippe Belaval on Wednesday, referencing the 19th-century French architect famous for his restoration work at the cathedral.
The festivities are set to kickoff on Friday when the cathedral welcomes back the 14th century statue of the Virgin and Child, which had been moved following the April 2019 fire that caused the landmark's spire to fall into the church.
The statue will return with a torchlight procession, starting from the forecourt of the Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois church in the first arrondissement, before reaching the forecourt of Notre-Dame, where the Archbishop will bless it before a vigil, the diocese said.
Macron will make the last inspection of the restoration site at the end of the month, completing his seventh visit to the cathedral since the work started, according to the French president's residence. He last came in December when he went up to the newly erected spire, and observed the work made to the nave (the central part of the cathedral), the choir and the framework.
Accompanied by donors, Macron on Nov. 29 will wander around the cathedral, go into the framework, the nave, and the chapels whose "restoration reveals the beauty of the paintings and the different decorations" by Viollet-le-Duc, according to Belaval.
A speech by Macron inside the landmark will pay tribute to the "crew spirit" demonstrated by the teams involved in the huge restorative undertaking, Belaval said.
More than 2,000 artisans were mobilized from around the world to help with the restoration, including American carpenters, some of whom ABC News spoke to previously. The Elysée said the artisans will receive a diploma for their efforts, and some names have been proposed by the Ministry of Culture for the next promotions of France's highest distinctions, the Legion of Honor and the Order of Merit.
For the big reveal in December, the restoration will be streamed all around the world, with the Elysée and the diocese hinting at surprise guests and performances, whose names have yet to be revealed.
The general public will be able to attend the first public mass the following day, which Macron will attend as a citizen.
“It is time to reopen Notre-Dame to the 14-15 million visitors we are expecting ... Notre-Dame is in itself a sign of unity," said Monsignor Olivier Ribadeau Dumas, rector-archpriest of Notre-Dame Cathedral.
The reopening won't mark the end of the work at Notre Dame Cathedral, as the remaining money collected towards the restoration will go towards various ongoing projects at the cathedral.
