The ceremony for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which comes after five years of intense work to raise it from the ashes following the terrible fire in April 2019 that almost destroyed it from top to bottom, is scheduled for December 7th and 8th is expected to attract crowds of anonymous visitors and celebrities alike. Some fifty heads of state are expected to attend, including newly-elected U.S. President Donald Trump, who has announced his arrival—unlike Pope Francis, who has not seen fit to come to Paris and is concentrating on a more confidential trip to Corsica.
“I am honoured to announce that I will be travelling to Paris, France on Saturday to witness the reopening of the magnificent and historic Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been fully restored after a devastating fire five years ago,” Donald Trump said on his Truth Social network. This is a highly symbolic gesture on his part, as it will be his first international trip since winning the U.S. presidential election on November 5th.
Donald Trump’s presence is a personal gesture, but also a way of saluting the exceptional mobilisation of American donors who have contributed en masse to the cathedral’s recovery. Out of 340,000 donors, 65,000 were Americans, who contributed $70 million in donations to finance the work. Alongside the official ceremonies, a dinner is planned in honour of the great American patrons, which is expected to bring together no fewer than 80 dignitaries of significant wealth. The U.S. ambassador to France, Denise Bauer, the French ambassador to the United States, Laurent Bili, and the archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, have also confirmed their attendance.
Donald Trump praised President Emmanuel Macron’s involvement in the restoration work being carried out to ensure that the cathedral, one of the most famous in the world, was raised from its ruins in record time: “President Emmanuel Macron has done a remarkable job in ensuring that Notre-Dame is restored to all its glory and more,” he said.
The French president, who has to deal with a serious political crisis with the imminent overthrow of Prime Minister Michel Barnier, intends to capitalise on the popularity of this event, from which he expects a “shock of hope,” as he explained during his preliminary visit to the site on Friday, November 29th. On this occasion, he couldn’t resist giving a short speech inside the building, despite the controversy that led him to give up speaking in the church at the official inauguration.
This final visit to the building site was skilfully staged, because of its profound political significance. Throughout his visit, Macron used the metaphor of reconstruction, paying homage to a nation of builders where everyone managed to work together in a very short space of time, to ward off a feeling of irreparability. “There was a unique spirit of fraternity. I want it to remain and endure,” declared the French head of state.
The final list of heads of state attending the inauguration on December 7th is not yet known. One of them, however, will be conspicuous by his absence: Pope Francis, who deliberately chose not to come and celebrate the reopening of Notre Dame, in favour of a trip to Corsica a week later. The gesture has sparked incomprehension among many Catholics, but also beyond. Philippe Doucet MP, a member of the Socialist Party’s political bureau, told CNews that he saw it as a “political mistake” on the part of the pontiff. A political mistake, but also a pastoral one, given that the fire at Notre Dame has touched many hearts around the world, and not just those of believers.
