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PARIS — Howling winds couldn’t stop Notre Dame Cathedral’s heart from beating again. With three resounding knocks on its doors by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, wielding a specially designed crosier carved from fire-scorched beams, the monument roared back to life Saturday evening. For the first time since a devastating blaze nearly destroyed it in 2019, the towering Gothic masterpiece reopened for worship, its rebirth marked by song, prayer and awe beneath its soaring arches. The ceremony, initially planned to begin on the forecourt, was moved entirely inside due to unusually fierce December winds sweeping across the Île de la Cité, flanked by the River Seine. Yet the occasion lost none of its splendor. Inside the luminous nave, choirs sang psalms, and the cathedral’s mighty organ — silent for nearly five years — thundered to life in a triumphant interplay of melodies. The restoration, a spectacular achievement in just five years for a structure that took nearly two centuries to build, is seen as a moment of triumph for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline — and a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. The evening’s celebration — attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, U.S. first lady Jill Biden, Britain’s Prince William and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — underscored Notre Dame’s enduring role as both a spiritual and cultural beacon. As the cathedral’s largest bell — the 13-ton Emmanuel, which was not named after the French leader — tolled into the Paris night, signaling the start of the ceremony, the crowd inside Notre Dame fell into an expectant hush. Emmanuel, a legacy of King Louis XIV, had rung through centuries of French history, and its peal now resonated as a call to witness another epochal moment. Outside the cathedral’s monumental doors, Ulrich raised his fire-scarred crosier. “Brothers and sisters, let us enter now into Notre Dame,” he declared. “It is she who accompanies us on our path to peace.” A dramatic entrance With the congregation of over 2,500 people watching in silence, Ulrich struck the floodlit doors, the base of his crosier reverberating against the wood. Inside, the choir answered with soaring hymns, their voices filling the nave. Illuminations on the cathedral facade heightened the drama. On the final strike, the heavy doors swung open, revealing the glowing interior of restored blond Lutetian limestone. Adding to the ceremony’s visual splendor, Ulrich and the clergy wore vibrant liturgical garments designed by French fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Known for his signature pop-art aesthetic, Castelbajac created 2,000 colorful pieces for 700 celebrants, blending modern elements with medieval touches. Flooded with light and song, the cathedral came alive in a moment of breathtaking spectacle. What had been a silent, soot-blackened ruin five years ago now blazed with renewed vitality, marking the culmination of a nearly $1 billion global effort to resurrect it. Speaking inside the cathedral, Macron expressed “gratitude” Saturday to those who saved, helped and rebuilt Notre Dame, his voice reverberating through the nave. “I stand before you ... to express the gratitude of the French nation,” he said, before voices flooded the space with song, harmonies not heard in over five years. “Tonight, the bells of Notre Dame are ringing again. And in a moment, the organ will awaken,” sending the “music of hope” cascading through the luminous interior to Parisians, France, and the world beyond, he said. The celebration is expected to give a much-needed boost to the embattled French leader, whose prime minister was ousted last week, plunging the nation’s politics into more turmoil. Macron has called Notre Dame’s reopening “a jolt of hope.” Observers say he hoped the occasion would briefly silence his critics and showcase France’s unity and resilience under his leadership — a rare moment of grace in a presidency now facing a grave crisis. Inside Notre Dame, 42,000 square meters of stonework —equivalent to six soccer pitches —gleamed anew, revealing intricate carvings and luminous limestone. Above, 2,000 oak beams, nicknamed “the forest,” restored the cathedral’s iconic spire and roof. The great organ, dormant for over five years, roared back to life like a slumbering giant. With its 7,952 pipes — ranging from pen-sized to torso-wide — and a renovated console featuring five keyboards, 115 stops and 30 foot pedals, it responded to Archbishop Laurent Ulrich’s command: “Wake up, organ, sacred instrument.” The first low rumble grew into a triumphant symphony as four organists pulled out the stops, weaving improvised responses to the archbishop’s invocations.
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