CNN
—
Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris’ gothic treasure that went up in flames in 2019, will be officially reopened on Saturday.
Immediately after the fire, French President Emmanuel Macron made an ambitious promise to restore the church within five years.
On Friday, he praised the hundreds of craftsmen, carpenters and other professionals who helped “keep this promise” during his final site visit.
“You did it. And it is a source of immense pride for the whole nation. I am infinitely grateful to you and France is infinitely grateful to you,” President Macron said.
Here’s everything you need to know about the days ahead.
On April 15, 2019, Notre Dame Cathedral was engulfed in flames. The cause of the fire remains a mystery. Investigators say there is a high possibility of an accident, likely caused by a lit cigarette or an electrical malfunction.
When the roof of the 860-year-old cathedral caved in, spewing soot onto the stone floor beneath, France and much of the world despaired. President Macron called it a “terrible tragedy” and promised to rebuild the historic church “because it is worthy of our history.”
Some of the country’s richest businessmen have pledged hundreds of millions of euros to the recovery effort.
After more than 2,000 days of work in which 2,000 people, 2,000 oak trees and 2,000 buildings were restored or rebuilt, the world saw for the first time “Paris” when the French president toured the restored landmark with his wife last week. I caught a glimpse of the Virgin Mary. Brigid and a group of priests.
The official reopening will begin with a ceremony on Saturday, followed by eight days of special masses and prayers.
The guest list is long and famous, but the most notable attendee may be Donald Trump. The US president-elect announced a trip to Paris this week, his first overseas trip since last month’s election, for what he called a “very special day for everyone.”
Approximately 50 heads of state and government are expected to attend the ceremony.
But one notable absentee will be Pope Francis. The Pope is scheduled to visit the French Mediterranean island of Corsica on December 15, a few days after the reopening, but will skip a visit to the capital. France’s leading archbishop said the “star” of the ceremony should be Notre-Dame Cathedral itself and that the pope did not want to distract from the ceremony.
Some 170 bishops from France and around the world will also take part in the ceremony, along with one priest from each of the 106 parishes of the Diocese of Paris.
Mr. Macron will give a speech in front of the cathedral around 6 p.m. (12 p.m. Eastern time). Later, Laurent Ulrich, Archbishop of Paris, knocks on the closed cathedral door with his crosier, an ornate cane.
When the door opens, the cathedral “answers” the knock and sings Psalm 121 three times, beginning with “I look to the hills.” After this, the door will open.
The ceremony will then proceed in three parts. First is the “awakening” of France’s largest organ, with 8,000 pipes and 115 stops. Second is the “Oval Chant,” a series of psalms and prayers that include the Lord’s Prayer. The archbishop then gives the final blessing and the choir sings the Latin hymn Te Deum.
Following the service, France Television will broadcast footage of the cathedral’s reconstruction.
See in photos: First look at Notre Dame Cathedral’s breathtaking restoration, five years after fire
The inaugural mass will be held at around 10:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. ET) on Sunday, with Macron in attendance. After blessing the holy water, the archbishop sprinkles it on the congregation and then on the altar.
The Bible readings at Mass on the second Sunday of Advent are the same all over the world.
The second Mass will be held on Sunday evening and will be open to the public.
And after that?
For the first eight days after reopening, Mass will be held twice a day, and special evening services will also be held. Many of these services will be available to the public.
On December 17th and 18th, the cathedral will host a concert of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Magnificat.
The cathedral is expected to welcome up to 15 million visitors each year. For now, visits remain free. Guests can reserve free tickets online and gain access to the building on the same day or one to two days after booking.
