PARIS: The archbishop of Paris re-opened Notre Dame cathedral on Saturday by symbolically knocking on the doors and entering the 12th-century landmark, which has been restored after a devastating fire in 2019.

Wearing new designer vestments, Laurent Ulrich joined hundreds of VIPs inside the Gothic masterpiece for a two-hour ceremony. Ulrich commanded the cathedral to “open your doors” and he entered the magnificently-restored edifice.

US President-elect Donald Trump shook hands with Britain’s Prince William and heads of state and government as he made his way to the front of the cathedral. He sat next to French President Emmanuel Macron in the front row.

Earlier, guests stood and applauded as Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky walked into the cathedral.

Macron hosts three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump before ceremony

Tesla billionaire Elon Musk, a close adviser in Trump’s transition team, also attended, as did Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and former French presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy.

Outside, small crowds of Parisians and tourists braved wet weather and high winds to witness the renaissance of a beloved monument, which came close to being totally destr­oyed by the inferno that toppled its roof and spire.

The reconstruction effort has cost around 700 million euros ($750m), financed from donations, with the re-opening achieved within a five-year deadline set by Macron despite predictions it could take decades.

Saturday’s service will feature prayer, organ music and hymns from the cathedral’s choir.

Trump show

Macron has scored a major coup by attracting incoming US president Donald Trump for his first foreign trip since his re-election. Another 40 heads of state and government are also present, including British heir to the throne, Prince William.

Macron also hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the presidential palace shortly before the ceremony, with future US military support for Ukraine’s war effort against Russia’s invasion expected to have been discussed.

Trump has vowed to force an end to the nearly three-year Ukraine war when he takes office, sparking fears in Kyiv that he will force Ukraine to make territorial concessions to Russia which Zelensky is resisting.

“It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that,” Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for talks with Macron.

One surprising absentee on Saturday was Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church. He sent a message addressed to the French people which is set to be read out.

The exact cause of the 2019 blaze has never been identified despite a forensic investigation by prosecutors, who believe an accident such as an electrical fault was the most likely reason.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2024