Some 40 members of the AAPA participated in an early morning guided tour of the restored Notre Dame cathedral on March 4, with Père Maxime Deurbergue and Père Guillaume Normand, vice-rector of the cathedral.
The cathedral gathers people, the prelates told us. It tells us the story of Christianity and gives us a place to worship. They noted that the walls themselves of Notre Dame did not burn during the devastating fire of April 15, 2019; but while the outside of the cathedral has not changed, the interior keeps up with the times.
For example, the roof, falling in during the fire, completely destroyed the altar. Completely rebuilt, this focal point of Notre Dame now features a modern, large, golden cross which dominates the cathedral’s interior.
The chapels surrounding the walls of the cathedral present works by modern masters such as Matisse alongside earlier 16th-century ecclesiastical works. The Crown of Thorns is permanently displaced in a modernistic free-standing square adorned with a golden circle, near the altar.
Contemporary liturgical vestments by French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (who met with us in 2024) were also on display, and echo the newly-refurbished cathedral’s blend of tradition and modernity.
